Does anyone know where I can get a hiking map of the Garmisch area? Specifically--the Alpspitze? Thanks!

Perhaps you mean specifically the Zugspitze?
Try www.lakesmountainseurope.com/garmisch/ascent.htm as a beginning point...

I believe she really does mean the Alpspitze. I tried to find my hiking map of the area to see what kind it was, but it is missing from my map collection. As I recall, it was one we got at the tourist information center there. I knw we used it for weveral hikes, including Alpspitze and Wank.

I do have a guidebook for hiking there, "Around the Zugspitze", a Rother Walking Guide by Dieter Seibert. I think I got it from Amazon. But you still need the map to see where the various hikes are.

If I figure out where to get a map ahead of time I'll post again.

OK---the one I bought there was the Wanderkarte Werdenfelserland:

http://tinyurl.com/2as5zd

But that would be ordered from Germany. You can get a Kompass Wanderkarte for the area from Omni Maps for $11.95:

http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/hiking/kompass2.htm

I believe it would still be the one called "Werdenfelserland", a 1:35000 map. There is a graphic showing the coverage area of each map if you look around the website. Good luck!

enzian,

Yes, I did mean Alpspitze. I have the Lonely Planet book about hiking in the alps, and last night I ordered the one you just mentionned!

If you come up with any ideas about the map I'd love to hear them--it would be great to look at a map ahead of time. I can't seem to find any trail maps on the internet. Thanks!

Hi caligirl56,

Here's a link to a very basic one:

http://www.zugspitzland.de/frei_sommer_wandziele.html

You can click on it to enlarge it.

Hope it helps!

s

swandav,
Thanks for the link. It is definitely helpful to see the map three-dimensionally. Gives me more of an idea of what it will be like.

enzian,
I just came back and found your post. Looks like we were posting at practically the same time yesterday. I really appreciate your help. I ordered the map you suggested, as well as one for the Fussen area (another thing I had been looking for!). Thank you!

enzian,

Don't know if you'll see this--but, is the hike across the north face of the Alpspitze called the Nordwandsteig? There seem to be so many routes--I'm not sure which is which.

As I understand it, the Via Ferrata is a route to the top. I'm not sure if the Nordwandsteig is a different route to the top, or if it is the traverse across.

You are correct---the Nordwandsteig goes across the face to a saddle. You can ascend to the summit from there---up a fairly gentle slope but all rocks, no trail. It would be clasified as "easy scrambling".The Via Ferrata route goes straight up to the summit; people doing that have helmets and harnesses.

Both start at the same place, and follow the same path for a short way. Then the Nordwandsteig continues (to the left as you face the mountain) on a gentle grade, and the Via Ferrata goes up (a right turn). As I recall, both were clearly marked and easy to follow. (My son and his friend went partway up the Via Ferrata route on our return from the Nordwandsteig).

There are some nice photos of the Nordwandsteig (with English narrative) here:

http://tinyurl.com/243q27

I obtained a map from the Garmisch tourist office, or try: www.zugspitzland.de

Just a suggestion:

One of my favorite days hiking EVER was the day I walked from Garmisch to Mittenwald. Mittenwald is a charming village, with elaborately-painted houses, known for its violin makers.

You start off up a very steep hill (will this ever end???) and level off, passing through beautiful meadows, views of mountains, sylvan forests, by a couple of glacial lakes. There are several restaurants along the way. At one, I had a delicious Wiener Schnitzel and potato salad outside by the shores of a clear lake. And the apple strudel!!!

This was nearly three years ago - - - I think it took about 6 hours, with a couple of stops. You can take the train back (check schedules first). The trails are well-marked, and you will encounter others along the way.

I have hiked all over the world, and this was one of my favorite days ever.

P.S. Beware the hike from the Alpspitze down the back side through Hoellental. This is a trecherous and endless descent down a million stairs, and takes you far away from any sort of potential help or rescue! It takes much longer than people say, and should only be done if you can devote many hours to the project!

enzian and expertplanner,

Thank you both!

Expertplanner--I'm wondering what you mean by treacherous? Is it that you could twist an ankle--or is it that you could fall off the mountain?

The reason I ask is that our 22-year old son is a bit afraid of heights. I keep getting conflicting advise about this hike. I'd like to do it, because from the Lonely Planet description, it sounded like a spectacular mix of scenery--the rocky part higher up, then alpine meadows, and finally the gorge.

I wonder if we're talking about the same hike: start at the top of the Kreuzech cable car, ascend to the north face via Stuibensee, then cross on the Nordwandsteig. Head toward Osterfeldkopf cable car and then branch toward the Hollental to reach the Rinderscharte. Go down the Hollental (I gather this is long), to the hut, and finally through the gorge.

My knees and I would prefer to hike UP and take the cable car back, but I won't even try to sell our two children on that! Anyway--my son has been on the top of big mountains--but he does get jittery. I don't want to promise him that this is a protected route and then be wrong.

enzian--that is a wonderful set of photos of the Nordwandsteig. Three questions:

The third row of pictures shows two pictures with wire cable and rungs. How exposed is that? From the picture I can't tell if those are just to go over a large boulder--if they are for balance in a sort of gully--or if they are hanging out over a face.

Also, the fifth picture down shows the tunnel/snow fields, etc. Does the trail show in this picture? It's not the incredibly narrow sort of beige ledge on the side of the face is it?

Three pictures later, there are pictures of "rungs and a ladder to make height quickly over smoother rock". It doesn't look exposed to me--what do you think?

I am definitely considering alternative hikes. And the Garmisch to Mittenwald one sounds lovely. I had just sort of had this dream to hike high up in the alps.....

I wish I could find my map, because I am relying on my memory of two hikes 6 years ago, and the very small maps in the Rother Walking Guide. But. . . these are two different hikes.

Nordwandsteig starts at the top of the Osterfelderkopf cable car, and heads east across the face of the Alpspitze to the Bernadeinsharte. From there, I think you can drops down and circle back to the cablecar, but we went back across the Nordwandsteig.

The Höllentalklamm hike, if you start at the top of the Kreuzeck lift, crosses under the Osterfelderkopf lift, and well below the Alpspitze face, heading toward the west. There are some steep sections with ladders, as I recall, but not exposed. But ExpertTravelPlanner is right about it being steep with ladders. We did this in the other direction, so we were heading up the steep slopes, not down (Not sure I would want to take that trail downhill). You eventually end up at the Höllentallangerhütte, and from there you can either go through the gorge (spectacular, but wet) and pay at the bottom, or take a higher trail above the gorge. You end up at Hammersbach and can take the train back to G-P, or walk if you have any energy left.

As for the photos: # 3, with the circular rung and a cable, is at the very beginning, a sort of test of your agility. It is not at all exposed. #5 shows the tunnel, but you can't really see it. I don't think there is any trail in that photo. The rungs and ladder several rows down were really fun, and again not exposed (as long as you don't mind going up the height of the ladder). I think rows #9 and # 11 show pretty representative sections of the trail.

The trail is fairly wide, and the footing is good. Anyplace there is exposure, there is a good solid cable to hold on to. And where there was no ledge for the trail, they put it in a tunnel, which has windows where you can look out. But, after hiking in the Grand Canyon with someone who has a grave fear of heights (more about that when I write my trip report), I honestly can't recommend that you try this, unless your son does the first part and decides it's OK. You could always turn back at any point. There are other trails from the top of the Osterfelderkopfbahn that are more of a meadow stroll with great views.

Or you could ride the lift up Wank, a mountain at the Partenkirchen end of the town, and hike up there. The paragliders take off from there, and it's fun to watch them prepare. We hiked up and rode the lift down, but you could ride both ways and hike the loop at the top.

Now I'm going to try and find my map again. I have a basket full of my hiking maps from Switzerland and the Dolomites, and this one must be there somewhere.

enzian,
Thank you--very informative as always.

I think Lonely Planet is somehow turning this into ONE hike. My maps haven't come yet--so I can't really make sense of it. Here's their description, "climb past a mountain tarn to traverse the north face of the alpspitze pyramid, then descend via a spectacular valley and gorge".

They have the hiker heading south and then southeast from the top of the Kreuzeck--following signs foward Stuiben. There is a point where you can avoid the Nordwandsteig by turning right into a basin below the Alpspitze's north face.

If you choose to cross the face, you ascend via Stuibensee. Apparently the trail climbs north above the lake and then heads west to the face.

Then you cross the face.

After you pass the tunnel, and the turn off for the via Ferrata--you continue northwest toward the Osterfelderkopf station. But, before you get to it, you branch uphill --signed toward Hollental, etc. This is where you climb to the Rinderscharte. Then many many switchbacks, apparently lead into the Hollental--down to the hut, etc.

My son has been on top of Mt. Dana (he was o.k., but was glad once we were down lower)--and he skis (on really steep exposed things!). So I'm just not sure. That's why I'm trying to gage the level of exposure. He might just be fine with it!

Waiting for that trip report!

Ahhh--so they are having you do the Nordwandsteig from the other end, I think. ---so you end that part at Osterfelderkopf, and continue on the the Höllentalklamm. That would be a long hike. We did the two on separate days. But maybe going in the downhill direction it wouldn't be so hard.

I'm trying to remember how long the actual Nordwandsteig takes. Not long---maybe 20 or 30 minutes. So I guess the whole hike would be doable.

And there is the option of avoiding the Alpspitze face by hiking in the basin below, as they mention. We saw chamois (Gemse in German) there!

OK---let me revise. that. My memory is coming back! It would be a nice day hike. I'm remembering it as long because we got a very late start. My son came in on the train that morning, we went to a bakery to get him breakfast, and then we walked out to the start of the Höllentalklamm. It was probably noon before we even started.

And we tarried a bit for cold drinks at the Höllentallangerhütte. It was 2:30 when we left there, and we were at the Osterfelderkopfbahn top station a little after 5---we hurried to catch the last car down at 5:30. So maybe all in all it's a 5 to 6-hour hike. What does Lonely Planet say?

Lonely Planet says 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours. The ascent is 650 meters (about 2100 feet). Descent is 1400 meters (4600 ft.)--a lot of down. But, it sounds doable. (Probably good practice for going down the South Kaibab trail!).

That's why I just keep trying to get a feel for the whole exposure issue for my son--my daughter, husband and I should all be o.k. with it. Tough call.

13 kilometers