Wintertime around Munich invites you to enjoy the most beautiful sport of the season: skiing! You can do this in the middle of Munich with cross-country skiing and on the slopes of the best local mountains in the immediate vicinity. But why not take advantage of our location in southern Germany and head straight to the Alps? And we’re not just talking about smaller winter sports areas like Bad Tölz, but about the mountain of superlatives – the 2,962-meter-high Zugspitze. Anyone who steps onto the slopes in the Zugspitze ski area will experience several world records, a view like nowhere else in Germany, and maximum skiing fun.
Skiing above the clouds
Photo: Shutterstock
As the ski resort on the Zugspitzplatt is located between 2,000 and 2,720 meters above sea level, you will often be skiing above a closed cloud cover. While it may be gray and foggy in the valley in Garmisch, you can enjoy bright sunshine up above! With an average of 81 sunny days per season, the Zugspitze ski resort is one of the sunniest in Germany.
And, of course, the view from the summit is particularly rewarding. Germany’s highest mountain offers unrivaled panoramic views. On a clear day, you can see over 400 mountain peaks in four countries: Germany, Austria, Italy (South Tyrol), and Switzerland. Even distant giants such as the Großglockner can be seen. And due to the extreme altitude, the snow lasts an extremely long time: you can often still ski here in May when the flowers are already blooming in the valley.
However, the high altitude also has its disadvantages. The air is thinner at this altitude, and you get out of breath a little faster when skiing than in lower ski resorts.
Slopes, prices, world records
Photo: Unsplash
The Zugspitze ski resort is a true winter sports paradise. There are around 20 kilometers of slopes, which are ideal for beginners and advanced skiers (blue and red). There are no real professional steep slopes here, but the area scores points with its wide natural snow slopes. Thanks to the high altitude, artificial snowmaking is usually not necessary. You can also ski on Germany’s only glacier! This means that the area is considered extremely snow-sure. The season usually runs from the beginning of December to the beginning of May.
For the current season, adults can expect to pay €69 for a day ticket. However, there is also a “twin ticket” (approx. €131.00), which allows you to ski flexibly on the Zugspitze and in the neighboring Garmisch-Classicarea on two days.
Even those who prefer sledding to skiing will get their money’s worth on the Zugspitze. There are three marked sledding runs, which are also a highlight for non-skiers. And the way up the mountain is breathtaking too. Anyone who takes the Zugspitze cable car from Eibsee will experience three world records firsthand. It has the highest steel support structure in the world (127 meters), the longest free span (over 3 kilometers without support) and the greatest total height difference in one section (almost 2,000 meters). Whether at the summit or on the way up, the Zugspitze ski area breaks records.