Name: GaPa Everesting Festival 2026
Start: 2026-05-08T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Eckbauer, Garmisch-Partenkirchen

GaPa Everesting

About GaPa Everesting

The GaPa Everesting Festival is the public premiere of a trailrunning festival of a special kind: Over two days, athletes will accumulate exactly 8,848 vertical meters on the Eckbauer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – a Mount Everest in one go. On 18 identical laps of 3.3 km and 503 vertical meters, the trailrunning community competes in solo, two-person, or three-person relays. Participants run the ascent, while the Eckbauerbahn cable car handles the descent. After an internal pilot edition in 2025, the format will open to the public for the first time in 2026 – deliberately limited to 300 starting places. For beginners, there is the leaner GaPa500 format.

Dates 08 May — 09 May 2026

Venue Garmisch-Partenkirchen (09180)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

GaPa Everesting — edition 2026

The 2026 GaPa Everesting Festival is the public premiere of the format on the Eckbauer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Starting on Friday, May 8, 2026, with staggered waves from 9:00 AM, with a cut-off on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Award ceremony around 11:00 AM on Saturday. 300 starting places, three competition formats (Solo, 2-person and 3-person relay) plus the beginner format GaPa500.

The 2026 edition is the public premiere: after an internal pilot event in 2025, the trailrunning festival on the Eckbauer opens its doors to the community for the first time. 300 starting places, including solo, 2-person and 3-person relays, plus the leaner GaPa500 beginner format.

Registration opened on December 12, 2025, at noon. Competitors will complete 18 laps of 3.3 km and 503 vertical meters – 59.4 km ascent, 8,848 vertical meters (Mount Everest!), descent each via the Eckbauerbahn (max. 12 min, not included in the ranking).

Staggered start times on Friday, May 8, 2026 (9:00, 9:15, and 9:30 AM). Cut-off on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Award ceremony around 11:00 AM.

Highlights GaPa Everesting 2026

Public premiere in 2026, 8,848 vertical meters (one Mount Everest), 18 laps on the Eckbauer, solo and relay formats, GaPa500 beginner format, 300 starting places.

Programme GaPa Everesting 2026

Friday, May 8, 2026 — Start

9:00 AM — first start wave Solo, Relays, and GaPa500
9:15 AM — second start wave
9:30 AM — third start wave
Ascent via trail (3.3 km / 503 vertical meters per lap, 1st lap shortened)
Descent via Eckbauerbahn (max. 12 min, not included in ranking)
Catering points, medical support, and drop bag service

Saturday, May 9, 2026 — Finale

12:00 PM — cut-off time
Final laps for solo and relay participants
approx. 11:00 AM — award ceremony

Formats

Solo: 18 laps, 59.4 km ascent, 8,848 vertical meters
2-person relay: Flexible division of laps
3-person relay: 3 people, one always on the course
GaPa500: Beginner format with reduced distance

Detailed route and regulations available on the organizer's website.

Prices GaPa Everesting 2026

Rates vary by format (Solo, 2-person relay, 3-person relay, GaPa500); current registration prices available on the organizer's website. Limited to 300 starting places.

Practical information

Practical information — GaPa Everesting

Getting There

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is directly accessible by train (approx. 90 minutes from Munich). From the station to the valley station of the Eckbauerbahn is about a 15-minute walk or a short bus transfer. By car: A95 Munich–Garmisch, exit Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Registration

Registration via the organizer's website; starts on December 12, 2025. 300 starting places, regularly sell out quickly.

Logistics

Ascent via trail, descent via Eckbauerbahn (max. 12 min. ride, not included in the ranking). Catering points and medical support are set up. Race documents, drop bag, and supplies are organized by the event team.

Everesting on the Eckbauer

The GaPa Everesting Festival takes place on the Eckbauer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – a popular mountain station on the edge of the Wetterstein massif, accessible by the Eckbauerbahn. After an internal pilot edition in 2025 with invited athletes, 2026 will see the public premiere for the trailrunning community. The idea: a festival format that translates the "Everesting" tradition from cycling into trail running.

The Format: 8,848 Vertical Meters in One Go

Participants complete 18 identical laps of 3.3 km and 503 vertical meters. This results in a total distance of 59.4 km and exactly 8,848 vertical meters – the official height of Mount Everest. The ascent follows a 3 to 5 meter wide, technically easy trail with good overtaking opportunities. The descent is handled by the Eckbauerbahn with a maximum travel time of 12 minutes – only the ascent counts towards the ranking. The first lap is shortened.

Three Competition Formats

Solo – one person completes the entire distance of 59.4 km and 8,848 vertical meters.
2-person relay – two athletes share the 18 laps flexibly.
3-person relay – three people share the laps, with one always on the course.

GaPa500 – The Beginner Format

For trail running beginners, there is the leaner GaPa500 format with a reduced distance/number of laps. With this, the organizer aims to open the event beyond the elite to the broader trail running community.

Atmosphere and Limitation

With a deliberately limited 300 starting places, the festival remains a comparatively intimate event. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, as a winter sports and mountaineering resort, provides a prominent stage for such a premiere format. Registration opened on December 12, 2025, at noon; the festival runs with staggered start times and a cut-off time on Saturday.