July 12: Our final hike is to  the Sonn Alpin Restaurant where there is a gondola which we take to the highest point in Germany, the Zugspitze 2962m (9718 ft). We hike through snow from just past the halfway point. After lunch at the top, we take a different gondola down the other side to Eibsee 100m (3281 ft), where we catch a train to Garnish-Partenkirchen, where we change trains for Mittenwald. It is so nice to be back in the warm sun. I had almost forgotten what summer felt like!
To the top of Germany!
We leave the valley and climb up
Knorrhütte 2052m (6732 ft) is our halfway point to the Zugspitze
 
Here we put away the rain gear and get ready for snow
 
these moochers followed us for a wile
 
 
Vivian doesn’t get snow like this in Texas
July? Who said it’s July?
Gondola to the clouds
 
We made it! To bad we can’t see the view
the other side of the peak gets the wind
descending, as we come below the clouds…
the views hidden to us emerge
 
it’s a long ride down
Eibsee lake at left
 
 
Looking back to the Zugspitze, the top shrouded in cloud cover
 
We board the shuttle to Garnish-Partenkirchen
Mountains look pretty from above and below
Onion-bulb church steeple very popular style
It’s nice to be in the warm sun again
Chip relaxes while waiting for the train to Mittenwald
Nancy and I are roomies again at the Bischlerhof, we have a balcony in our room
A well-deserved Weiss beer for our “last supper” as a group
Click any photo to enlarge, or start slideshow by clicking on icon top right.