Salomon Zugspitz Ultratrail by UTMB

Trail Running in the Wetterstein Alps

The Wetterstein massif, with the Zugspitze (2,962 m) as Germany's highest mountain, forms the spectacular backdrop for the Ultratrail. The routes run through the German-Austrian mountain world, crossing alpine meadows, gorges, forests, and scree fields. The start and finish for most distances is the Olympic Ski Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, while the longer distances lead further to Grainau, Mittenwald, Ehrwald (Tyrol), and Leutasch (Tyrol). The cross-border route makes the race a German-Austrian joint project.

Seven Distances, All Difficulty Levels

The range of distances caters to every requirement: Grainau Trail 16 km (760 hm) as an entry-level option, Garmisch-Partenkirchen Trail 29 km (1,565 hm), Mittenwald Trail 44 km (2,110 hm), Leutasch Trail 69 km (3,140 hm), Ehrwald Trail 86 km (4,295 hm), Ultratrail 107 km (5,280 hm), and the king's distance, the ZUT100, with 166 km and 8,205 meters of elevation gain – one of the toughest 100-mile routes in Europe. All distances are part of the UTMB qualification and award "Running Stones" for the lottery to the legendary UTMB Mont-Blanc.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen — More Than Just a Starting Point

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, an Upper Bavarian market town with around 26,000 inhabitants, has a long sporting tradition, having hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics and several Ski World Championships. The Ultratrail uses the Olympic Ski Stadium as its hub – serving as the start area, finish area, an expo location with around 50 exhibitors, and a festival stage. Throughout the entire trail weekend, the event attracts athletes, companions, and fans from all over the world to the town: hotels, guesthouses, and holiday apartments are booked out months in advance.

UTMB World Series

Since 2021, the Zugspitz Ultratrail has been an official part of the UTMB World Series – the international network of the world's most prestigious trail running events, founded by the organizer of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. The integration into the World Series has raised the level of participants: international trail professionals now regularly start at the foot of the Zugspitze, with fields comprising around 50 nations. The title sponsor is Salomon, with other main partners including Ledlenser, NAAK, and Suunto.