Trail of Höllental Loop under Zugspitze

Hike through Hell to See Heaven Difficulty: Moderate Length: 10.7 miles / 17.2 km Duration: Full day Overview: Höllental, which means Hell Valley, is a valley in Wetterstein Alps (Wettersteingebirge) and lies under the Zugspitze (the highest peak of Germany) on the German-Austrian border in the northern Alps. It is located in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The moderate to difficult round trip starts and ends in Kreuzeckbahn Talstation (Garmisch Partenkirchen) trailhead and is about 18 km, gaining about 1080 m in elevation. Are you spending holiday nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen or Innsbruck and looking for a beautiful, moderate to difficult hiking trip covering moderate altitudes including an attractive gorge and excellent views on the surroundings of the highest peak of Germany? Then, this is a hike just for you. Basically, the hike can be divided into sections as follows: from Kreuzeckbahn Talstation through the Höllentalklamm gorge to the Höllentalangerhütte cottage, from the Höllentalangerhütte cottage to the Kreuzeckbahn Bergstation, from the Kreuzeckbahn Bergstation to the Kreuzeckbahntalstation. It generally takes about 8 hours for average hikers to complete the round trip, allowing a reasonable time for making refreshment stops. Tips: Alternatives. Should you decide to shorten the trail and make it easier (by hiking less elevation) you have the following option: Drop POI 1 and POI 5. Make Hammersbach your trailhead. Hike a return trip from Hammersbach (POI 2) to Höllentalangerhütte (POI 4). Park your car at Hammersbach Parking Lot which is about 500 m from POI 2. The return trip Höllentalangerhütte - Hammersbach is about 12.2 km. The best time to perform this trip is from end of May to middle October when the Höllentalangerhütte cottage is open. You may park you private means of transportation at Kreuzeckbahn Talstation (full trail) or at Hammersbach Parking Lot (shorter trail). Höllentalklamm entrance fee in 2010 was 3€ (per adult). What to bring: A water protection coat may be handy when crossing the gorge at some places. Snacks and enough water. You may replenish your supplies at Höllentalangerhütte cottage. Magnesium (first aid against cramps).