It snowed overnight and today promises sunshine together with a breathtaking winter landscape that opens up outside the window of the Hotel am Badersee. Accordingly, it's time to discover the winter landscape on a circular trail that first leads up to the Zugspitze and then from there again by gondola down to Lake Eibsee and on foot to Grainau to the hotel.

Tour profile

Difficulty level: easy
Route length: approx. 13 km (total)
ascents: 300 hm
descents: 300 hm

08:00: After breakfast, it's time to pack up warmly, as temperatures on the Zugspitze today are around -13 degrees despite the predicted wonderful sunshine. The last clouds are still flying over the Zugspitze as we start our walk first around Lake Badersee and then down to the Zugspitze Railway, which starts at 8:30 a.m. from Grainau Zugspitze Station.

8:30 a.m.: Before we get on the train, a photo of the Romantic Catholic Church in Grainau must be taken. Then we board the nostalgic Zugspitze cable car and enjoy the journey through the winter landscape. You can tell that the holiday season hasn't started yet and that we're out and about during the week today, so there are only a few skiers and Zugspitze visitors on the train. Or maybe it's also because we're on the road early again.

09:28: The Zugspitzbahn reaches the Zugspitzplatt on the Zugspitze on time and we get off. We can't wait to see how cold it will be outside. First, head out onto the Sonnalpin terrace for a few first photos. Surprisingly, it's not that cold at all, despite the -13 degrees Celsius. The sun turns it off again. Unfortunately there aren't any sun loungers out this early in the morning, so after the first views we drive up to the summit to stop for a coffee.

10:20: The gondola takes us up to the Zugspitze summit and the lift takes us to the viewing platform. There is still no rush here either, but we meet a camera team who are currently filming a report on the start of the winter season in the Alps. The presenter also seems to be shivering, because after just a few short sentences, he tells his team that it's off to the warm house. We want to take a few more pictures, including the Eibsee side, but it's in the shade. No sooner have we stepped into the shadows than an icy wind blows at us, which almost makes us freeze. We didn't expect such a stark difference. Still pleasant in the sun, it is now icy cold and barely bearable. Still, I'm trying to take a photo. It's just stupid that you have to take off your gloves to do this. My fingers froze to death in no time. Forget more photos, it's time to get warm now.

10:40 a.m.: The panoramic restaurant on the Zugspitze is empty, except for a few seats, which is good for us, because this allows us to grab the front window seats that give us a warm, sunny view. The “café” is already open and two lattes should warm us up again. The pretzels and bagels also look delicious and since we are still planning a hiking trip, we treat ourselves to a second breakfast with a view. In addition, the employee is so super friendly that we go for it. In general, the employees on the Zugspitze are always in a good mood and always find nice words.

11:40 a.m.: The hot glass of latte macchiato allows the fingers to thaw and warms up the body, the breakfast tastes wonderful and from the window we have a fantastic panoramic view without freezing. So you can enjoy the morning in peace and quiet. I'm a bit jealous of the skiers who make their turns on almost empty slopes. Hopefully it will be as nice again this weekend, when we'll definitely hit the slopes. After an hour, we say goodbye to the Zugspitze and take the gondola down to Lake Eibsee, from where our winter hike starts.

12:00: The winter landscape is simply amazing today. The beeches and firs are covered in white, as if Mrs. Holle had done an extra shift, the sky is bright royal blue and the trail is easy to walk on, so we don't need snowshoes. Yes my, the winter landscape in the mountains is simply a dream.

12:40: On the road to Lake Eibsee, we then turn off and take the path towards Neuneralm instead of directly to Lake Badersee. We are too enchanted by the natural landscape to want to quickly relax and warm up. The temperatures are also quite pleasant and we wear good winter shoes that keep our feet warm. You simply have to take advantage of the longer route.

1:35 p.m.: We pass the Neuneralm and continue towards Grainau. Now you also have a view of Kramer and Wank. Some clouds blow around the mountains, giving them a blanket. Despite the nice weather, there are only a few people on the road - I had expected more people to take advantage of the sunny weather. The trail here is more snow-covered, but it's still good to walk without snowshoes. The very snowy days are certainly yet to come.

14:15: Unfortunately, the last stretch to Hammersbach is closed, as some trees fell over from the storm that blew here a few weeks ago and still need to be cleared. The workers are already there, after all, the walking and hiking routes are popular with holidaymakers and locals. So we descend again at the toboggan run in Grainau and walk from there past the Zugspitze cable car back to the hotel on Lake Badersee.

What a wonderful winter hike! More of that may come this winter. Our face glows reddish from the fresh air and our lungs are well ventilated. The legs are a bit cold, but fortunately the feet have stayed warm. Now it's time to relax and enjoy the warmth in the hotel again.

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