Zugspitz Ultratrail: A brilliant trail running circuit in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Professional cross-country skier and trail expert Max Olex takes you on a route of the Zugspitz Ultratrail, Germany's largest trail running event. He'll show you the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail, a magnificent trail running tour to the Alpspitze mountain station.
Max Olex is a professional cross-country skier. In the summer, he keeps fit with trail running, among other activities. He'll show you a beautiful trail running route of the Zugspitz Ultratrail from his hometown of Garmisch-Partkirchen.
Max welcomes you from the Explorer Hotel Garmisch in Farchant. Over a coffee in the sun, he'll explain the facts about the tour: The Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail is a route of the Zugspitz Ultratrail. The 31 km distance was formerly called the "Basetrail." The trail running tour climbs approximately 1,500 meters in elevation. The start and finish of the route are in Garmisch-Partkirchen. The highest point is at 2,025 meters above sea level at the top station of the Alpspitzbahn cable car and the AlpspiX viewing platform.
From the Explorer Hotel Garmisch, walk to Farchant train station. The train takes about 6 minutes from Farchant to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Once you arrive in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the trail run begins towards the Kochelbergalm.
From the Kochelbergalm, continue to the Partnachalm. A paved road leads steeply upwards towards the Partnachalm. After the Partnachalm, continue to the Laubhütte (Laubhütte). You can refill your water bottle at the Laubhütte's fountain.
On the way to the next stop, the Hochalm, you can already see the highest point of the tour: the Alpspitze mountain station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. You run to the Hochalm on spectacular trails surrounded by nature. Once you reach the Hochalm, you'll need to climb about 200 meters until you reach the highest point of the trail running tour.
The Zugspitz Ultratrail is Germany's largest trail running event and has been held since 2011. Around 4,000 runners tackle six routes – one of which is the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail. The shortest and newly introduced distance is the Grainau Trail at 14 kilometers, and the pinnacle of the Zugspitz Ultratrail is, of course, the so-called Ultratrail at 111 kilometers.
Professional cross-country skier Max has now conquered the highest point. Now it's time for a break at the Alpspitzbahn mountain station. After a short visit to the AlpspiX viewing platform, from which you can enjoy a beautiful mountain panorama of the Zugspitze, Höllental, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, it's time for the downhill.
With the Alpspitze behind you, the trails return to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Arriving at the bottom in front of the Olympic Ice Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Max Olex gives a brief summary of the trail running tour. The Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail is very challenging. If you like, you can also take a shortcut, for example, by taking the Alpspitzbahn or Kreuzeckbahn.