Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ski Area

There are some 57km (36 miles) of groomed runs in the resort, and a total of 254km (159 miles) in the region. The main slopes at Garmisch-Partenkirchen are in the classic area, which combines Alpspitze, Kreuzeck and Hausberg. Another area, Wank, overlooks Partenkirchen, but has no marked runs. Skiing is possible, but there are no lifts, so you have to hike up. Although technically the Wank area has the longest “run”, the longest named and lift-served run is the Riffelriss – Eibsee descent on the Zugspitz slopes (5kms – just over 3 miles). In the classic area (i.e. the main slopes away from the Zugspitz) the longest run is Standard-Tonihütten (4.5 kms/2.8 m).

The high-altitude Zugspitz area on the glacier has stirring views right across the Alps far into Italy and Switzerland as well as Austria. But as only half the mountain is in Germany, there are also Austrian slopes to consider – at Ehrwald, Lermoos, Berwang/Namlos, Bichlbach, Biberwier, and Heiterwang am See (The Tiroler Zugspitz Arena). These Austrian resorts, along with Seefeld and Mittenwald, can all be skied on the so-called ‘Happy Ski’ Card.

There are three ways of reaching the Zugspitze slopes, which adds a little variety to the prospect of the longish journey to the glacier. From Garmisch itself there is a choice between cable-car and cog railway. Unless you are in a rush to reach the slopes, the railway, with a short cable-car ride at the end of the journey, is more fun. The cable-car takes you to the very top of the Zugpspitze, but since it is absolutely unthinkable (to all but the most extreme skiers) to ski down to the glacier, it is necessary to take another cable car down to the slopes on the Zugspitze Platt.

On the Austrian side, the glacier can also be reached from the Tyrolean resort of Ehrwald, which helps create all kinds of skiing possibilities.

The classic area combines Alpspitze, Kreuzeck and Hausberg. Kreuzeck is where skiing started in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. As early as 1926 the first skiers intrigued the locals at the Hexenkessel. The classic Kandahar and Olympia downhill runs were cut between Hausberg and Kreuzeck.

Although one glacier visit is a must, once the novelty has worn off, most skiers prefer the closer and much more substantial classic slopes with a big network of cable cars, gondolas, chairs and drag-lifts. Most will make for the summit station of the Alpspitz cable car at 2,050 metres (6,726 ft.). From here they can reach the slopes at Osterfelder and Längenfelder before moving on to the Kreuzeck area, with its fast new 15-person gondola. Although few bother with the long hike to the top, the Wank area offers panoramic views across the Esterberg, Ammer, Karwendel and Wetterstein mountains. It also has the resort’s longest descent of 8.7km (just over 5 miles).

At the Eckbauer, the smallest ski area in the resort, a three kilometre (two miles) intermediate descent takes you down to the Olympia Ski stadium, the location for the traditional New Year´s Ski Jumping competition.

The high-walled stadium looks much the same as it did almost 70 years ago when it was at the centre of the celebrated1936 Winter Olympics – the Games when downhill skiing events were first allowed to be part of the Olympic schedule. The original observation towers are still there.

At the end of the war which followed soon afterwards, the US Army built a European recreation centre here, and GI ski enthusiasts were among the first to test the prototype ski safety bindings developed by the now well-known Hannes Marker. To this day, American skiers visit Garmisch in their thousands. There are four American-owned hotels, and the Americans even have their own mini-resort, complete with its own ski hill and T-bar, for US Army and NATO forces.