Garmisch Classic Ski Resort

http://www.powderhounds.com/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/images/Europe/Germany/Garmisch/overview/01.JPG
Garmisch Classic ski resort Germany
Garmisch Classic ski resort Germany
Super-fast piste trails at Garmisch create lots of blurred skier images flying past the lens at Garmisch
Super-fast piste trails at Garmisch create lots of blurred skier images flying past the lens at Garmisch
Garmisch Classic skiing
Garmisch Classic skiing
Long Garmisch Classic piste trails extend all the way to the valley
Long Garmisch Classic piste trails extend all the way to the valley
Partenkirchen is the best place to stay when skiing Garmisch Classic
Partenkirchen is the best place to stay when skiing Garmisch Classic
Train & tram transport is excellent to Garmisch Classic at the Hausberg base
Train & tram transport is excellent to Garmisch Classic at the Hausberg base
Excellent beginner lifts, trails & facilities at Hausberg in Garmisch Classic ski resort
Excellent beginner lifts, trails & facilities at Hausberg in Garmisch Classic ski resort
Ski Garmisch Classic Germany
Ski Garmisch Classic Germany
The aging Alpspitzbahn cable car reaches Garmisch Classic highest point  at 2050m
The aging Alpspitzbahn cable car reaches Garmisch Classic highest point at 2050m
Hausberg base area is a thriving hub at Garmisch Classic
Hausberg base area is a thriving hub at Garmisch Classic
Top to bottom on a Garmisch advanced trail all the way to the hay barns....
Top to bottom on a Garmisch advanced trail all the way to the hay barns....
Hochalmbahn cable car serves Garmisch
Hochalmbahn cable car serves Garmisch's best freeride terrain
Garmisch Classic ski resort
Garmisch Classic ski resort
Trail connection from Hochalm leads through very Utah-like terrain
Trail connection from Hochalm leads through very Utah-like terrain
Garmisch Classic skiing
Garmisch Classic skiing
The spectacular Osterfelderkopf lookouts at the top of Garmisch ski resort
The spectacular Osterfelderkopf lookouts at the top of Garmisch ski resort
Garmisch village centre
Garmisch village centre
Partenkirchen village centre
Partenkirchen village centre
Ice skating in the village of Garmisch
Ice skating in the village of Garmisch
Night markets at Partenkirchen near Garmisch Classic ski resort
Night markets at Partenkirchen near Garmisch Classic ski resort

Garmisch Classic Ski Resort

Readers Ratings

Garmisch Classic

Garmisch Classic3.5/52
Garmisch Classic3.5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
Backcountry Books Ski & Snowboard Guide Books & Maps

Nearby Ski Resort

Zugspitze

Garmisch Map & Stats

    Garmisch Classic Ski Trail Map
  • Garmisch-Classic Ski Trail Map
  • Vertical (m)
    710m - 2,050m (1,340m)
  • Average Snow Fall
    Unknown
  • Lifts (17)
    4 Gondolas / cable cars
    4 Chairs
  • Opening Dates & Times
    Mid December to early April
    8:30am to 4:30pm
  • Terrain Summary
    Runs - 44km
    Longest run - 9km
    Advanced - 25%
    Intermediate - 45%
    Beginner - 30%
  • Lift Pass Price
    Day Ticket 24/25
    Adult (19yr+): €64 to 66
    Youth (16-18yr): €51 to 53
    Child (6-15yr): €32 to 34
    Child (u/6yr): Free
    1.5-day+ includes Zugspitze

    3-day+ = Top Snow Card
    Valid in local Bavaria & Tyrol resorts
     Garmisch Partenkirchen Ski Resorts Map
  • Local Ski Resorts Map
     Garmisch Transport Map
  • Garmisch Transport Map

Garmisch Classic Ski Resort Germany

The quintessential German ski town of Garmisch Partenkirchen (or Ga-Pa for short) is ground zero for skiing in Deutschland. The town has the nation's largest standalone ski resort on its doorstep, complete with World Cup standard piste trails & a partly modern lift system - Garmisch Classic.

Nearby is Germany's highest peak, the looming Zugspitze (2,962m). The ski resort of the same name is the country's highest & most snow-sure, topping out at just below 2,720m. Both ski resorts are connected to Garmisch Partenkirchen by trains, cable cars, gondolas & cog railway providing a travel & ski experience worthy of anywhere in the world.

Garmisch Classic & Zugspitze are complimentary ski resorts - ski Classic in poor weather, head up to the glacier when the sun shines. The proximity of the Garmisch ski resorts to better known skiing areas in the Tyrol & Arlberg of Austria also make it a perfect addition (or perhaps a better starting point) to any European road trip or ski safari.

Pros & Cons for Garmisch-Classic Ski Resort

Pros

  • Superb range of piste trails for all levels including advanced.
  • Several fabulous ‘top to bottom’ piste trails that will bring speed-induced tears to your eyes - goggles on or not!
  • Uncrowded once away from the base areas & during the week.
  • Wonderful novice & beginner progression lifts & terrain on the upper mountain near Hausberg.
  • Particularly good mountain restaurants & bars.
  • Fun après ski at the Hausberg lift base area & in town.
  • Interesting range & number of non-ski winter activities.
  • Good value lift pass price linked with Zugspitze & including local train transport.
  • Accommodation in nearby Partenkirchen is sublime, as is the ambiance of the ‘old town’.
  • Excellent public transport access by train to two separate base areas.

Cons

  • Relatively low elevation base relying heavily on snow-making.
  • Extremely limited off-piste terrain.
  • Overall terrain is in part confusing & difficult to navigate if uninitiated or in poor viz!
  • Road to Garmisch can get super busy on weekends.
  • Several important, long linking ski trails are tough on snowboarders.

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

  • Lift system is an interesting mix of old & new, depending on which side of the resort you ski.
  • Several piste trails rated ‘intermediate’ would be ‘advanced’ in other resorts.
  • Village is split between the fun (& newish) Garmisch & the beautiful, traditional Partenkirchen - with both being further than walking distance from the ski lifts.
  • Few ski-in ski-out accommodation options (although there are a couple at the top of the resort).

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

Garmisch Classic has an impressive set of statistics including a skiable vertical of over 1,300m & a longest run of 9km on north-aspect terrain. The slopes are very much all about the on-piste groomers. Advanced riders will enjoy the seriously fast valley runs, two of which are rated as intermediate, but should have sections marked in black! There are excellent lifts, trails & facilities for novice skiers in & around the Hausberg, but truly little for the freerider. Whilst we noted tree skiing opportunities, we doubt there would be many days where it would be skiable.

Check out the ski trail map for Garmisch below.

Garmisch Ski Trail Map
Garmisch Ski Trail Map

Skiing at Garmisch is certainly a magical mystery tour for a first-time visitor. The trail map is quite misleading in the distance between the highest lifted point at Osterfelderkopf (2,050m) and the top of the Kreuzeckbahn gondola. It is a long, long way. Snowboarders with no fitness OR T-bar riding skills may find out to their detriment. The ascent of Osterfelderkopf from the valley is quite the ride in an outdated cable car (the Alpspitzbahn) which fails to cope on busy days. Ride it early -first lifts. At the top is access to Garmisch Classic’s major, but limited, freeride terrain & the best snow quality intermediate piste on the mountain, albeit served by ancient lifts. The major piste trails are served by modern gondolas & chairlifts creating a sense of two totally different ski areas in the one resort.

The predominately tree-lined trails of Garmisch Classic make it perfect for skiing in any weather conditions - cloud, snow, wind & sun. But when the sun does come out or the cloud base lifts, we suggest complimenting your stay with a trip to the lift passed linked Zugspitze. Whilst not a huge ski area, the glacier & high alpine peak is spectacular & have a nicer range of intermediate trails that Garmisch - go figure!

See here for the Zugspitze ski trail map.

Lift Pass

All Garmisch lift passes of 1½-days+ duration include Zugspitze (if you want to go, and of course you should!). Lift passes of 3-days or more are called a Top Snow Card and are valid at a number of regional ski resorts in Bavaria & the Austrian Tyrol.

Where is Garmisch-Classic Germany?

Garmisch Classic is in Bavaria, southern Germany, near the border with Austria. In the village of Garmisch Partenkirchen, by road the ski resort is only 90km south of Munich & 65km north of Innsbruck, Austria. Both Munich (MUC) & Innsbruck (INN) are the gateway airports for Garmisch Classic.

Travel to the town of Garmisch Partenkirchen is an easy 2½hr train ride from Munich airport or less from the main station at Innsbruck. Once in Ga-Pa, the local bus & train network links into the ski resort as well as with Zugspitze's cable car to the peak or cog railway to the resort base. See here for the local Garmisch-Zugspitze train transport map.

Search & book here for train tickets to Garmisch & Grainau.

Garmisch Classic Accommodation

The village of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the ultimate German holiday destination & has oodles of quality Bavarian hotels & guesthouses. Previously two separate villages, Ga-Pa has two distinctly different faces. Garmisch is the more modern, lively & commercial side of the ledger. The Partenkirchen side of town is the opposite, having retained much of its traditional architecture & charm, it provides the most pleasant accommodation location. The Partenkirchen old town has a lovely ambiance worthy of the best Austrian or Swiss mountain towns, particularly at night.

Search & book here for all Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski accommodation.

Closer to the Zugspitze ski area is the quiet village of Grainau, 4km east of the Zugspitze cable car base at Eibsee. The village is split into Untergrainau & Obergrainau. A train station on the Garmisch-Zugspitze rail line is in Obergrainau.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Ski rentals are available via our local partner in the centre of the village & at the mountain station in Zugspitze ski area. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Garmisch Ski & Snowboard Rental page.

Anyone wanting ski or snowboard lessons, or mountain guiding services can search, compare & book with our local partners via our Garmisch Ski Lessons & Guiding page.

Review

The Powderhounds visited Garmisch Classic in 2019 & found it to be a wonderful town & the perfect place to find one’s ski legs before heading into Austria. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.

See how Garmisch-Classic compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.

Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.

Ski Tours in or near Garmisch

Safari (Road Trip) Tours

Three Country European Ski Trip
PRIVATE MULTI-DAY SKI & SIGHTSEEING TOUR
10 Days | 9 Nights | 6 Ski Days
Ability: Intermediate to Expert
Make the ultimate alpine getaway with a three-country ski trip across Europe. This holiday package includes stops in top ski resorts across Germany, Austria, and Italy, making for a truly unforgettable European skiing experience. Get your own group of 2 or more together for a fully private customised tour ....
Price p/p From price based on a 10-day private tour.
Base/invoice currency is in EUR inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 4,464
View Details
 
See all Safari (Road Trip) tours that visit Garmisch Classic here
200