A Day in the Life: The Zugspitze (Day4)

Before we even got to Garmisch, Jenn and I where planning a trip up to the Zugspitze. The Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany (9,718ft) There are only two ways up to the top. Either you hike up all the way or you take the Zugspitzbahn (the train) and the take a cable car to the peak. We thought the kids would love to ride the train up, and it would be the only reasonable way to get to the top.

So we managed to get the kids up, ready, and out the door at a reasonable time. We headed out to the station to get our tickets and catch the train. Everything was going well until we pulled up to the station. There was a LONG line to just buy the tickets to get on the train. Jenn made a last minute decision to hop out and get in line, while Diane and I went to find parking, and get everyone unloaded.

You can see the crowd in this pictures pretty well. We were waiting in line to get the tickets. The Zugspitze in the background.

Our good looking gang waiting in line. (Don’t you just love the Ozzy wanna be?)

Once we made it up to the ticket counter Jenn bought our tickets. (Thanks again Jenn!) and we waited in line again to get on the platform to wait for the train. This would not have been to bad, had it been a large open space, but it was not. The closer we got to the front of the line the tighter and the smaller the area got. The kids all did well with the waiting and being smashed liked sardines in a can. I think the promise of being able to play on the snow that was on the platform helped that. Once we got closer to the front of the line things started to slow down, but it looked like we were near the end of the line and would be on the platform soon. To our surprise and dismay the gate locked shut right before we where getting ready to go on to the platform. We were so close yet so far away. We were trapped behind the gate until the train came to pick up the passengers that made it on to the platform. Some families where separated with kids on one side and the adults on the other side. We were lucky that did not happen to us.

So close, yet so far away!

Katy trying to make a break for it!

Once the train left the station we weere allowed on to the platform. The kids took off for the snow pile!

The little three having fun on the snow!

Kyra hamming it up for the camera!

As you can tell Ryan hates getting his picture taken!

It really did not take long for the novelty of the snow to wear off and the kids where hungry. Luckily for us, we had one adult that thought ahead. Jenn packed all the left over pizza we had and brought it with us. We all gobbled it up as we waited to get on the train. Oddly none of us got a picture of that. You would think with as many pictures we take someone would have gotten at least one!

Soon the train showed up to take us to the top! The kids were all excited and ready to get on the train!

The train was pretty crowded and all of us were not able to sit together, but the older kids got to sit with each other and that is what mattered most!

Nicu and Kyra

Alex and Ryan

The ride up was stunning. It was hard to get a lot of pictures. The train was full and Ella had to sit on my lap!

Jackson was so excited. This was his first time on a real train. He spent most of his time looking at the window watching everything go by.

The train ride was over an hour to the top and 25 minutes of that was through a tunnel.

Yes we made it!!!!!!

This was a prefect time for Ella to take a nap. When got to the station she was fast asleep and did not wake up.

Ella sleeping on Alex.

Could there be a romance in the future? Far, far in the future?

The view was amazing.

At this point, we had decided not to take the cable cars up to the peak. After spending the morning smashed in tight areas, the cable car had lost it appeal. The kids were having a great time running around and playing in the snow.