Hiking & Mountaineering

Don't forget to put on a layer of sun cream. Check the weather report before you go and whether the alpine chalets are open on your way. What to do in emergency and how to activate the Alpine Emergency Call? Read our blog on this - that will secure you a safe stay in the Alps.

Plan your tour in advance. On our interactive map you will find multiple suggestions for routes in this area.

The Badersee Blog: The Alps 'For Dummies' - Safety in Alpine Terrain for Beginners in Summer

You can reach the following tours directly from the Hotel am Badersee (most links are in German):

• Höhenrainweg (easy)
• To Garmisch-Partenkirchen over Hammersbach (easy)
• To Neuneralm Chalet (easy)
• To Lake Eibsee (easy)
• Kramer Plateau Trail (easy)
• Mount Hoher Ziegspitz (difficult)
• Hammersbach - Riffelscharte - Eibsee (difficult)
• Hell Valley (Höllental) (medium to difficult)
• Almhütte Chalet - Stepbergalm Chalet - Mount Kramer (difficult)
• Mount Zugspitze over Höllental (difficult)

In our Badersee Blog we regularly introduce local tours that our team members did personally.

Hiking Tips In The Badersee Blog

 
Also, the Tourist Office Grainau offers guided tours as well as theme tours (e.g. 'Photo Tour', 'Discovering plants' etc.) at any season.

MOUNTAINEERING WITH KIDS

Guided tours from the Tourist Office are suited for families with children. Beside that, try the following for your family trips (links are in German):

• 'The Fantastic Forest' („Sagenhafte Bergwald“) - a theme park for kids in Grainau on the slopes near Hammersbach
• Partnach Gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Eibsee Loop Trail 
• Kramer Plateau Trail with wild animal feeding - make the appointment in advance!
• Kochelbergalm Chalet at Hausberg
• Werdenfelserhütte Chalet with the Werdenfels Castle Ruin in Burgrain
• Gschwandtnerbauer Chalet in Partenkirchen

The Wetterstein Chain with Mount Zugspitze as its highest summit, the Ammergau Alps, the Karwendel and the Ester Mountains invite you to exciting clambers. 

Before you start out to the summit, prepare yourself and check out your route as well as the weather report.

High Alpine Tours in Zugspitze Area (in German)

You will normally discover a number of different trails leading to the same chalet, so that hikers of all levels can enjoy the tour.

If the chalet is your destination, check the opening times in advance - most of them take a break in low season. Some chalets can be alternatively reached with a cablecar so you can save time on descent.

Please mind that most chalets are only open during the summer season.

ALPINE CHALETS IN OUR REGION:

• Neuneralm in Grainau 910 m (easy)
• Berggaststätte Gschwandtnerbauer in Partenkirchen 1.020 m (easy)
• Berggasthof Almhütte in Garmisch 800 m (easy)
• Berggasthof Pflegersee on Mount Kramer 845 m (easy)
• Werdenfelser Hütte with Werdenfels Castle Ruin in Garmisch / Burgrain 770 m (easy)
• Kochelbergalm on Hausberg 850 m (easy)
• Partnachalm on Hausberg 995 m (easy)
• Tannenhütte on Mount Wank 1.000 m (easy / cablecar)
• St. Martinshütte am Grasberg on Mount Kramer 1.040 m (easy)
• Kaiserschmarrn-Alm am Graseck in Partenkirchen 910 m (easy / cablecar)
• Maxhütte in Wallgau 1.022 m (easy)
• Korbinianhütte am Kranzberg in Mittenwald 1.200 m (easy)
• Kolbensattelhütte in Oberammergau 1.270 m (easy / cablecar)
• Gamsalm in Ehrwald, Austria 1.278 m (easy)
• Wankhaus (Alois-Huber-Haus) on Mount Wank 1.780 m (medium to difficult / cablecar)
• Kreuzalm at Kreuzeck 1.600 m (medium / cablecar)
• Esterbergalm in Farchant / Partenkirchen 1.262 m (medium)
• Wettersteinalm from Elmau 1.462 m (medium)
• Schachenhaus from Elmau with the King's House on Schachen and the Alpine Botanical Garden 1.866 m (medium or difficult, depending on the trail)
• Stepbergalm on Mount Kramer 1.592 m (medium)
• Brunnsteinhütte in Mittenwald 1.400 m (medium)
• Pürschlinghaus (August-Schuster-Haus) in Unterammergau 1.564 m (medium)
• Pleisenhütte in Scharnitz, Austria 1.757 m (medium)
• Bockhütte in Reintal, start in Partenkirchen 1.052 m (medium)
• Reintalangerhütte in Reintal, start in Partenkirchen 1.369 m (medium)
• Höllentalangerhütte from Hammersbach, Grainau 1.387 m (medium to difficult)
• Weilheimer Hütte (Krottenkopfhütte) from Eschenlohe or Esterbergalm 1.955 m (difficult)
• Meilerhütte from Reintal, Elmau or Leutasch, Austria 2.374 m (difficult)
  
  

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CHALET VISITORS:

Nowadays most chalets in the Alps serve the tourists, however, they appeared to support cattle farming and for many it's still their main business. Check this before you go.

If the chalet name contains 'Alm' and it is located above 1000 m, it is likely that they focus on farming, not on entertainment. The food and service at some 'Hütten' is very simple. Please don't touch the grazing animals during your visit.

Keep your dog leashed at all times, as the cattle may get scared of an alien dog runnung around and even get aggressive and attack you. Also, it is not unusual for animals to consume each others' feces. Dog feces contain substances that may be lethal for cows. Please collect your pet's excrements and dispose of them properly in the valley when you are back from your tour.

More On Nature Protection In Zugspitze Area

With a total elevation of 6.800 meters, this route is quite sporty.

Climbing in Zugspitze Area (Links are in German):

• Kletterwald & Hochseilgarten in Partenkirchen
• Kletterhalle Ehrwald
• Klettergarten Frauenwasserl (Oberammergau / Ettal)
• Klettersteig Alpspitz-Ferrata
• Alpinklettern an der Alpspitze (Bergstation Osterfelder / Alpspitzbahn)
• Klettergarten Sonnenplatten Scharnitz
• Klettergarten Fuchsschrofen Nassereith
• Klettergebiete bei Garmisch-Partenkirchen

If you are interested, please contact the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Section of the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein, commonly known as DAV) regarding the current status of the climbing trails, security matters and trained guides. 

Some links are in German.

Badersee Blog - Hiking Tours

German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein) - Section Garmisch-Partenkirchen

German Weather Service

Bavarian Mountain Rescue Service - Bergwacht Grainau