Zugspitze Ski Resort Review: Germany's Only Glacier Skiing Experience

A Perfect Alpine Day: Combining Glacier Skiing with Panoramic Mountain Views

Going to the Zugspitze glacier has been on my bucket list for a very long time, not just because there is a ski resort but the way to get up there is on the Zugspitze Cable Car which holds three world records and is an incredible piece of machinery, oh and also the Zugspitze is the last glacier in Germany and that in itself is both cool and sad.

I started my day by driving from Garmisch Partenkirchen which is a simple 20 minute drive with incredible views of the Bavarian alps. You can take a cog wheel train from the centre of Garmisch however I had a car and wanted to ride the cable car. There is parking at the base of the cable car and it cost five euro for the day, certainly a lot better than the $55 I pay in Australia or even some of the insane fees resorts are charging in the US.

The cable car opens at 830am and runs every 20 minutes, it’s smooth fast and offers some of the best views you can get in the Bavarian alps, well the summit views are better however seeing the transition from the forest and the Eibsee lake whilst you soar into the sky is hard to beat.

Once I reached the summit it was howling with wind, snow and was complete white out which is to be expected early in the morning at 3,000m. I decided to save the viewing platform till later in the afternoon and got on the next aerial tram that takes you down to the ski area, yes aerial tram to get up there and the another to get down to then glacier.

The Zugspitze Ski Area is not big by European standards but for this Aussie it was the perfect size to spend the day. It’s got two six pack lifts and 4 T-Bars that operate within the ski area and they serve 720m of vertical, again not huge for Europe but for a single day of riding it’s perfectly fine. The resort is exceptionally we laid out for beginner and intermediate riders, anyone who is advanced might get bored here in half a day unless you are confident enough to go off piste between all the runs, I personally did not go off piste as I was on my ski’s which is still new to me and it was the first day of a 17 day road trip and I did not want an early visit to the doctors.

Throughout the morning the cloud cover did not really lift but with that came snowfall and about 5cm of fresh snow fell over the resort in a couple of hours, this made the riding on the piste exceptionally enjoyable even with the low visibility.

By midday I was ready for a break so I headed into the restaurant which can be found in the centre of the resort, this huge cafeteria style dining venue offers up buffet style food or you can speak to the chefs who will make you a meal, I went with the schnitzel and beer, I am in Germany after all so it’s criminal not to.

By the time I had gotten through the monster schnitzel and huge pile of fries I looked outside to see that the clouds had lifted and the sun was now shining on the whole resort. Once I got outside it became very apparent that I was now in the European Alps with jagged peaks riding high above the ski area in every direction you cast your eyes. I was stunned at how visually impressive this ski resort was and I think spent more time whilst skiing and riding the chairlifts just looking at these mountains.

Refuelled from lunch and with endless visibility my confidence towards skiing amplified and I was able to enjoy getting in some turns in the sunshine and work of building up some of the core skills required for skiing, I have another 16 days ahead of me so I knew it was going to be required.

An aerial view of the mountains at Zugspitze. Credit: SnowStash

By around 3pm it was time to start the journey back however this was not the last thing on my todo list, I needed to get on the same aerial tram that brought me down to the glacier and go up to the scenic viewing platform which is located just under 3,000m. From the summit here you are literally on top of Germany, well sort of, the giant gold cross is the top point which is open in summer for you to climb to however in winter it’s closed, for obvious reasons.

The views from here are world class, you can see the Eibsee lake, the towns and villages below and on the other side you can look down to the ski area, the surrounding mountains, you can see Italy, Austria and Switzerland if you know where to look, but fear not as there are boards with images that explain which peaks are in front of you. Inside the buildings there is also a bar and restaurant which wasn’t open when I visited but i know is quite popular as the Zugspitze itself is more popular than the ski resort.

After spending close to 30 minutes taking in the views of the mountains it was time to head into the aerial tram station, this station looks like the lair of a James Bond villain and is where you start the journey home. The aerial tram takes another 15 minutes to journey back down, if you are afraid of heights I’d recommend you do not stand at the front of the carriage, I of course did and soaked in the landscape as we quickly descended the 5km journey.

Whilst my ski pass was covered by the Zugspitze ski area a normal day of riding is 62 euro which compared to other resorts is on the expensive side, however what the other resorts don’t offer is the summit station experience. You can also opt to take the aerial tram one way and the cog wheel train on the other way, something else that you simply can’t get at some other major resorts.

The Zugspitze ski area is a whole rounded experience rather than just a day of skiing, it is the perfect place to learn how to ride as it secluded, quieter and there are many things to do other than just skiing and snowboarding. If you are visiting the area I would 150% recommend that you visit Zugspitze, even in summer it’s a must do experience in the Bavarian alps.