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Zugspitze by Hoellental route next week

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 didntcomelast 29 Aug 2016
A group of 4 of us ( all well used to Scottish winter mountains ) are off to Garmish next week to do some hills including the Hoellental route up the Zugspitze. Has anyone been recently that can give a hint to the condition of the glacier and whether we will need a couple of axes or will poles suffice. I expect there will be a big of a gap between the glacier and the start of the Via but some advance notice would be helpful. We plan an early start to the day so we can get the cable car down.
 ewen75 29 Aug 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:
It has been an extraordinary cold summer this year, so there is still a reasonable amount of snow lying on the glacier that hasn't melted yet. You can do without axes, hiking sticks will do. But don't forget your crampons and suncream. Leave very early in the morning, seeing there is a ralistic chance of ending in a long queue at the entrance of the via ferata. It can be a massmeeting if the weather is good, especially at the weekend including lot's of falling stones from climbers above you. Cable car down is going to cost you 30 Euro, which is daylight robery. Be carefull when you take off your crampons at the begining of the via. A climber died sliping and falling into a gap two weeks ago.
Good luck
Ewen


http://www.alpenverein.de/DAV-Services/Bergwetter/Bayerische-und-Allgaeuer-...
P.S. Here you can follow the weather forecast fot the Zugspitze
Post edited at 23:21
cb294 30 Aug 2016
In reply to ewen75:

You can keep the crampons on when crossing the gap, there is a reasonable ledge after a few meters where it is much easier to take them off (if the VF still starts in the same place, it has been a few years since I have last been there)

However, I would rather recommend going for another summit this year, in addition to the normal circus that you cannot avoid there is a huge building site as they are upgrading one of the cable cars.

CB
OP didntcomelast 30 Aug 2016
In reply to ewen75:

Many thanks for that information. We had planned a 6am start at the latest and as we are in Garmish for a week we have a choice of days to do the route. I'll let the chaps know about the cable car cost, that will please them... Not.
OP didntcomelast 30 Aug 2016
In reply to cb294:

Zugspitze is one of a number of hills we plan to do during the week. We have a variety in mind depending on weather/fitness. etc.
Thanks for the info about the ledge.
cb294 30 Aug 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:

Hi, don´t get me wrong, Zugspitze is by far the ugliest summit in the alps, but both the Austrian and German VF routes are so good that they make it worth climbing anyway! It is just that the cable car from the German side is being renovated until end of the year, so there is additional building activity. Best you know beforehand, so you won´t be disappointed. You can still go down on the Garmisch side using the short cable car to the Platt and then the funicular railway, but if you are fit, walking down the long way through the Reintal is the much nicer alternative.

CB
OP didntcomelast 30 Aug 2016
In reply to cb294:

Cheers for that. The plan was to do the route because of the varied way up to the summit. I climb with a group of retired work colleagues and a couple of them did the climb a couple of years ago and recommended it. Not too fussed about what's at the top of the hill as long as there's coffee.
cb294 30 Aug 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:

Coffee for sure, but also Weissbier at Germany´s highest beer garden!

CB
 JohnnyW 30 Aug 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:
I did it last week, and loved it. Yes, it was horrendously busy, but that may well subside as you are that bit later in the season. Yes, there was all sorts going on the summit, but we don't own the mountains do we, so we have to take the rough with the smooth. Yes, the cable car and train down is expensive, but after 2200m of ascent, it's most welcome. Yes, you will see all sorts of Snowdon/Nevis-esque tomfoolery kit-wise and skill-wise, but hey, see above.

Go with an open mind, suck up the scenery and mountain ambience, ignore the crowds, and you'll love it.

So, tips -

Wear a thin waterproof for the gorge - You get soaked, and whilst it was nice for us due to the heat later on, it could be problematic if cooler.
Don't skip the gorge by taking the 'free' route. It's well worth the e4
6am is a good time to leave. We went at 6:30, and despite the queues, were on the top for 14:00
Poles and crampons is fine for the glacier, just be careful
The move off the glacier is just a lean-and-grab. We had been in a hoooge queue for ages, so had had time to take off crampons etc beforehand, so you do need to be careful not to slip. Actually, as CB says above, you could step down into the shallow 'schrund and do it there, clipped, but we couldn't see that until actually on it.
There's plenty of water at 2100m, but we still had drunk 2ltr by then, and then finished that 2ltr before the top. It was very hot indeed, but I would ensure you top up there. We saw one guy all but comatose with sun-stroke, who needed MR assistance.

Good luck, and enjoy.

My blog - http://www.johnnywalker.co.uk/blog/a-busy-day-on-the-roof-of-germany-zugspi...
Post edited at 09:05
OP didntcomelast 30 Aug 2016
In reply to JohnnyW:

Many thanks for that valuable information. Especially about the water. Several years ago I did Cima Brenta in the Dolomites from Molveno. Despite filling up with fluids before setting off and carrying two litres in my bag, I was drier than a dry thing by the time I got back down. It's easy to forget the fluids issues when there's so much else going on.
 nutme 30 Aug 2016
If you fancy to extend a route - Jubilee Ridge to Alpstitze is very good. It is possible to bivi or stay in hut at Zugspitze station and have alpine start for ridge. Makes fantastic 2 days route!
cb294 30 Aug 2016
In reply to JohnnyW:

Good point about the water! A few years ago I helped a guy up the last few hundred meters, after giving him some of my water and my emergency glucose tabes, stuffing his backpack on top of mine, and clipping him to a short rope. He was totally dehydrated after his Nalgene leaked empty at the beginning of the VF, and lay vomiting where the VF first meets the ridge and you can look down towards Eibsee.
A couple of summit beers later he had recovered, and graciously paid for my cable car down!

CB
 teacher 31 Aug 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:

Did this route many years ago with my wife. Walked in from American forces campsite, did the route, then continued down into Partenach valley and bivied well below Norr Hutte. A long day but worth it. It wasn't busy (1987/8) and we were both pretty fit at the time.
 JohnnyW 01 Sep 2016
In reply to didntcomelast:

It's a long way up and down from Molveno eh? Used to holiday there with my family.

Love the Brenta. Have done the VF routes W-E from Pinzolo, and N-S from Madonna four times, only completing the whole route that way once last year, as failed previously due to a twisted ankle and twice because of snow.


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