Todd and the kids went skiing on our first day down in Garmisch. I'm a native Floridian and to be honest, I just don't like to ski! I'm not good at it, and no matter how many times I try it, I just can't seem to get into it. So while they went skiing (and they all love to ski!), I got to go on a hike BY MYSELF around Lake Eibsee!
Lake Eibsee is at the base of the Zugspitze, which is the tallest mountain in Germany. It's located literally feet away from the Austrian border. The lake itself is at 3,281 feet above sea level!
In the summer, the water is emerald green in some places. During the warm months, you can rent boats and swim and fish for carp, bass, pike and other fresh water fish. But it's equally as beautiful in the winter! It's a little more than 1.5 miles long, about 2/3 of a mile wide and 107 feet deep at it's deepest point.
The hike itself isn't a difficult one, but it is very long. The entire route is about 7 kilometers, so plan on several hours here. It's not a bad idea to have a walking stick or two, also - especially during the winter. The pathway is compacted down for the most part, but it does get a bit steep as you reach the western part of the lake. I hit a few slick spots here and there, but nothing too bad. (Until you get into the sun.... more on that in a minute).
I relied on a great website called OutdoorActive.com for my hike around Eibsee. They suggested going counter clockwise around the Lake starting from the Eibsee Hotel parking lot, but I chose to go the other direction. I'm glad I did because I got to enjoy the beautiful, surprisingly warm afternoon sunshine on the north side.
There are plenty of small lakes that are hydraulically connected to Eibsee. Eibsee was formed from a massive rock slide approximately 3700 years ago. The lake is still glacially fed, which is why the colors are so vibrant in the summertime.
Many tall pines grow on steep slopes around Eibsee.
Contrails criss-crossed the incredibly blue sky.
I only took this picture for my kids! Someone had fun at Eibsee! (Not me... I didn't have the proper gloves to make this!)
My new snowman friend in the shadows of the Zugspitze.
The Zugspitze makes long shadows this time of year.
There's plenty of places around the Lake Eibsee trail to stop and take pictures, or even enjoy a few quiet minutes on a bench (bring some snacks and have a little picnic!) Here I am coming around the west side of the lake, with the northern-facing mountains coming into view.
There's several small trickling streams that form slight waterfalls along the path. I'm sure these are really nice in the summer. I really liked turning off the music on my phone for a few minutes and enjoy the quiet. I've got two kids. I don't get a lot of quiet!
As you come around the north side of Lake Eibsee, you emerge out of the shadow of the Zugspitze. This means SUN!!!!!
Sun, trees and shadows on the north side of Eibsee. I'm well over halfway done with my hike at this point.
There's one little spot in particular that provides the most spectacular views of Zugspitze and friends. On this particular day, I was able to grab a seat in the little covered bench and enjoy the amazingly warm sun on my face! It was so warm, I had to take off my coat! Of course, the hike itself warmed me up - so my recommendation as always is... layers!
While I was there, a nice lady from Frankfurt sporting a fur coat (!!) sat down next to me and we had a little discussion about the current state of affairs in the world. We talked Brexit (she wasn't a fan) and Trump (DEFINITELY not a fan) and skiing (she used to ski more often before her career took off) and Italy (it's her favorite) and France (she speaks fluent French and English!) and how she was 70 years old (I would have said she was in her 50s!). I love meeting people like her in my travels!
Alas, I couldn't sit and chat with her for very long, since I had to finish my hike and go pick up the family from the slopes. Here's some more snowman action on the trail!
The lake was frozen, and many people were walking across it or pulling sleds. My new friend and I agreed - NO THANK YOU.
I began my hike at the Eibsee Hotel, so you can see here I'm coming around the lake and I'm almost to the finish line!
One last look at the Zugspitze from the bridge between Eibsee and the Untersee.
The Untersee, facing north.
I probably could have stayed a bit longer at Eibsee since the kids wanted to keep skiing after their lessons were over, but I was starving so I went back to the hotel. Mmmm, hummus and a Warsteiner are a nice post-hike treat!
Until next time, Eibsee!
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