Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:37 pm
Location: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Slope: Zugspitze & Garmisch-Partenkirchen Classic
Well I am finally back from my business/pleasure trip from France & Germany. We had a couple of days to goof off so we drove from Kunzelsau down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Northern Germany has been pounded in snow, but the mid to southern portions of the country have gotten roughly normal conditions, and there was plenty of snow on the ground, but had been about a week since the last snow fall.
Friday we got up early and headed over the the rental shop and picked up some equipment. I opted for a snowboard, as I have been doing that for the last 10+ years and wouldnt have enjoyed attempting to ski. We started on the Classic area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and enjoyed a wonderful run called Kandahar. it will be used in the 2011 World Championships and the record for the run top to bottom is 2mins (60mph+ avg.). Its insane some of the portions of that run, but it was amazing.
Conditions we good on piste, well groomed, but a little icy at the lower elevations (750m at the base). But as the sun came out to play (bluebird day after 930am) We rode up to the Alpsptize (2050m) and this was really built for skiiers as the flat sections were a killer for snowboarders. Due to this we headed back to the Kandahar run to enjoy some fast and steep runs...but a binding failure ruined my day. Luckily it was near mid-station cafe and we enjoyed some Hungarian goulash soup, kaiser roll, and .5L of beer for less than 7€. As some resting I had to ride the lifts to the bottom and return to the rental shop to complain, ended up not having to pay anything, which was a nice surprise.
We went into town and enjoyed an awesome dinner of schnitzel and saurkraut, and 1.5L of amber beer...also some fried apple treats with vanilla ice cream that was truely amazing.
Saturday we rode the Zugspitze cog train up to the glacier summit. the conditions up on the glacier were awesome, very similar to A-Basin above treeline. Wide open runs and powdery conditions off piste. Not very deep powder, but shin deep is good for fooling around and enjoying. We rode the gondola to the summit (2962m) to view the Alp range.
All in all it was an amazing trip and definately want to head back there again sometime. Perhaps Austria or Switzerland next go around. Enjoy the pictures.
Slope: Zugspitze & Garmisch-Partenkirchen Classic
Well I am finally back from my business/pleasure trip from France & Germany. We had a couple of days to goof off so we drove from Kunzelsau down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Northern Germany has been pounded in snow, but the mid to southern portions of the country have gotten roughly normal conditions, and there was plenty of snow on the ground, but had been about a week since the last snow fall.
Friday we got up early and headed over the the rental shop and picked up some equipment. I opted for a snowboard, as I have been doing that for the last 10+ years and wouldnt have enjoyed attempting to ski. We started on the Classic area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and enjoyed a wonderful run called Kandahar. it will be used in the 2011 World Championships and the record for the run top to bottom is 2mins (60mph+ avg.). Its insane some of the portions of that run, but it was amazing.
Conditions we good on piste, well groomed, but a little icy at the lower elevations (750m at the base). But as the sun came out to play (bluebird day after 930am) We rode up to the Alpsptize (2050m) and this was really built for skiiers as the flat sections were a killer for snowboarders. Due to this we headed back to the Kandahar run to enjoy some fast and steep runs...but a binding failure ruined my day. Luckily it was near mid-station cafe and we enjoyed some Hungarian goulash soup, kaiser roll, and .5L of beer for less than 7€. As some resting I had to ride the lifts to the bottom and return to the rental shop to complain, ended up not having to pay anything, which was a nice surprise.
We went into town and enjoyed an awesome dinner of schnitzel and saurkraut, and 1.5L of amber beer...also some fried apple treats with vanilla ice cream that was truely amazing.
Saturday we rode the Zugspitze cog train up to the glacier summit. the conditions up on the glacier were awesome, very similar to A-Basin above treeline. Wide open runs and powdery conditions off piste. Not very deep powder, but shin deep is good for fooling around and enjoying. We rode the gondola to the summit (2962m) to view the Alp range.
All in all it was an amazing trip and definately want to head back there again sometime. Perhaps Austria or Switzerland next go around. Enjoy the pictures.