How to Hike the Zugspitze from the Austrian Side: The Stopselzieher Route
Updated: Sep 5
There are several ways to stand on the summit of the Zugspitze (2,962 m), Germany's highest mountain: long walking routes, serious climbing, or something in between. This article is about the in-between one — the western route from the Austrian side, over the Wiener-Neustädter Hütte and the famous Stopselzieher. It is the shortest of the four classic ascents, and in one day it gives you a proper alpine hike, a real via ferrata and the best summit view in Germany.
A short history worth knowing before you go
The Zugspitze was first climbed on 27 August 1820 by Lieutenant Josef Naus, a survey engineer working for the Bavarian land survey, together with his assistant Maier and the local guide Johann Georg Tauschl from Partenkirchen. They came from the Bavarian side, through the Reintal, and reached the summit around midday. Naus measured the height at 2,962 m — the figure still used today.
The Austrian side came later. The route through the Österreichisches Schneekar was first climbed in 1871 and developed as a marked path in 1879. In 1884 the Wiener Neustadt section of the Austrian Tourist Club (ÖTK) built the Wiener-Neustädter Hütte at 2,209 m directly on this line; it opened on 1 September 1884 and has been staffed since 1886.
The numbers tell the rest of the story. In 1854 there were 22 recorded ascents of the Zugspitze in the whole year. By 1899 there were around 1,600, and by the time the first cable car opened in 1926 more than 10,000 people a year were walking up. Today about 500,000 people reach the summit each year — almost all of them by cable car or cog railway from Germany’s side. On a good summer day up to 750 mountaineers still go up on foot. You will not be alone, but you will be in a small minority.
The route in numbers
Start: valley station of the Tiroler Zugspitzbahn, Ehrwald (1,225 m)
Wiener-Neustädter Hütte: 2,209 m — about 1,000 m of ascent
Summit: 2,962 m — another 750 m, mostly on the via ferrata
Total elevation gain: approx. 1,750 m
Distance: approx. 6 km one way
Time: 5–7 hours up, including a break at the hut
Difficulty: via ferrata grade A/B, alpine tour T4 — technically moderate, physically demanding
Part one: the hike to the hut
The trail starts at the cable car parking lot and goes up through ski slopes, dwarf pines and long fields of scree. Signposts say 3 hours to the hut and 6 hours to the summit. If you are fit, the hut takes 2 to 3 hours in reality.
Be ready for a steep climb the whole way, mostly on loose stone. The last 20 minutes before the hut are the most exciting part of this section — narrow, exposed and steep.
Take a break at the Wiener-Neustädter Hütte. It is a small, simple mountain refuge with around 34 beds, open roughly from late June to early October. You can get a coffee and something warm, but don't expect a restaurant menu — everything here arrives by helicopter.
Part two: the Stopselzieher
The via ferrata begins about 15 minutes above the hut. The name comes from a natural erosion cave at around 2,400 m: you follow the cable up through a narrow rock tunnel and come out at the top like a cork being pulled from a bottle. Stopselzieher literally means "corkscrew".
From there it is roughly 750 m of elevation gain on graded A/B terrain — steel cables, iron pins and a few ladders, alternating with walking passages. It is well protected, and on a busy August weekend you may even queue for a few minutes at the narrow spots.
Closer to the top comes the section that deserves the most respect: about 15 minutes of completely unsecured walking across steep, loose rock. There is nothing to clip into here. Think about every step.
Depending on your fitness and mountain experience, the via ferrata takes 1.5 to 3 hours.
The last 20 minutes
Arriving on the summit ridge is not the end. You still have around 20 minutes to reach the stairs up to the platform, including a short descent into a notch and a final ladder. Keep your concentration and keep right — the ground here is loose and the drop is real.
Then you are standing on the roof of Germany, looking at four countries and more than 400 peaks.
Getting back down
Almost everyone takes the cable car. The Tiroler Zugspitzbahn runs from the summit back to the same parking lot where you started — a clean loop with no shuttle needed.
Important for your timing (summer 2026): the cable car runs every 20 minutes from 8:40 to 16:40, and 16:40 is also the last descent. A one-way ticket down costs €41.50 for adults, €25.00 for children aged 6–15. The season runs from mid-May to early November, and in May, June, October and November the cable car may not run at all in bad weather.
Do the maths honestly: 5–7 hours of ascent plus a break plus 20 minutes on the summit ridge means you should be on the trail by 6:30–7:30 in the morning, not later. Starting at 9:30 leaves you no margin at all if you are not an experienced hiker — and missing the last cabin means 1,750 m of descent on foot in the dark. Always check the current timetable on the day.
What to bring
Trekking poles — they will save your knees on the scree
Helmet — non-negotiable; rockfall is the main danger here
Via ferrata set (harness + energy absorber + two carabiners) — a plain climbing harness is not enough
Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support and good grip
Backpack with water (2–3 litres), food and warm extra layers — it can be near freezing on the summit
Sunglasses, sun cream, gloves, headlamp
Weather is the whole decision
Check the forecast and never start this route if rain, thunderstorms or fresh snow are predicted. Wet rock, old snow patches in the couloirs and lightning on a steel cable turn a moderate via ferrata into a serious mountain. The best window is July to September, with early autumn often giving the clearest air and the quietest trails.
This is not a route we guide — a via ferrata asks for your own judgement on the day, and that is part of what makes it worth doing. What we can tell you is everything above, from a mountain we live under.
And if you want to stand on the same summit without the cable and the helmet, there is an easier way up.
Want the Zugspitze without the climbing? Our private Eibsee & Zugspitze & Garmisch-Partenkirchen day takes the cable car up and leaves the rest of the time for the lake and the town.
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