Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB (UTMB World Series)
Ultratrail (107 km) – Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Ultratrail 107 km at the Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB is a demanding alpine loop starting and finishing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (697 m), threading through the valleys and ridgelines of the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps. With 107 km of racing and 5148 m of cumulative climb, topping out at 2203 m, this is a serious mountain ultra that rewards patience and precise execution far more than raw speed. The course visits six distinct checkpoints — Grainau, Ehrwald, Leutasch, Mittenwald, Kainzenbad/Partnachklamm — before returning to Garmisch-Partenkirchen with a final cut-off of Sunday 01:00. The variety of terrain, the mix of valley running and alpine ascent, and the sheer length of the back half make this one of the most tactically interesting races on the UTMB World Series calendar.
Course & Terrain Overview
The race leaves Garmisch-Partenkirchen and climbs immediately toward Grainau (12 km, 1199 m), gaining over 500 m in the opening section and signalling early that this course demands respect from the gun. From Grainau the route continues its upward trend to Ehrwald at 28 km (1733 m), the highest checkpoint on the course, before dropping into the broad valley at Leutasch (55 km, 1062 m) — the halfway point both in distance and in character. The second half pivots through Mittenwald (75 km, 1192 m) and then climbs again to Kainzenbad/Partnachklamm (95 km, 1763 m) before the final descent back into Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Expect a varied mix of forested singletrack, open alpine meadow, technical rocky ridgeline and valley trail, with the surface conditions changing frequently across the 107 km.
Decisive Climbs & Where the Race Is Won or Lost
The climb from Mittenwald to Kainzenbad/Partnachklamm — arriving at 95 km with over 570 m of re-ascent after 75 km of racing already in the legs — is the true crux of this course. By the time you reach that final climb your glycogen reserves are under pressure, your legs have accumulated nearly 4600 m of climb, and the mental arithmetic of 'only 12 km to go' can seduce you into a pace you cannot sustain up technical terrain. Runners who have banked energy through the valley sections at Leutasch and Mittenwald will move through this climb with purpose; those who raced the first 55 km will be reduced to survival hiking. The high point of 2203 m also exposes runners to genuine alpine conditions — wind, cold, and potential weather — so the sections between Ehrwald and Leutasch demand alert navigation and appropriate layering.
Pacing Strategy: The Patient First Half
The opening valley kilometres out of Garmisch-Partenkirchen are a trap. They feel manageable, the gradient is gentle, the atmosphere at the start is electric — and that combination conspires to pull you through Grainau and on toward Ehrwald faster than your finishing ambitions can afford. The runners who perform best here describe a near-social first half: controlled effort through the early climb to Grainau, composed through the long push to Ehrwald, and genuinely patient into Leutasch at 55 km. That restraint is not lost time — it is the deposit that funds a strong second half. From Mittenwald onward, once you know your legs still have power, you can begin to close. Break the final 32 km into segments: Mittenwald to Kainzenbad, then Kainzenbad to the finish. Two more legs and you're home. That mental framing converts a daunting deficit into a series of achievable resets.
Fuelling & Crew Access
With crew access at five of the seven checkpoints — Garmisch-Partenkirchen (start), Grainau (12 km), Ehrwald (28 km), Leutasch (55 km), Mittenwald (75 km) and the finish — this course offers excellent logistical support for runners with a crew. Use the early crew points conservatively: top up fluids and calories at Grainau and Ehrwald, but don't linger. The longest unsupported stretch is the 20 km from Mittenwald to Kainzenbad/Partnachklamm (95 km), which includes the most significant late-race climbing. Carry enough calories and fluid to cover that section fully — at least 400–500 kcal and 500–750 ml capacity beyond what aid stations provide. Electrolytes become critical in the back half, particularly if conditions are warm; the drop from the high point back into the Garmisch-Partenkirchen basin can feel deceptively benign but still demands managed hydration.
Conditions to Expect
Racing in the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps, the Zugspitz Ultra Trail 107 km can deliver a wide range of conditions within a single race window. Lower valley sections around Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Leutasch and Mittenwald can be warm and humid in summer race conditions, while the sections approaching and exceeding 1700–2203 m around Ehrwald and the course high point can be significantly colder, windy and — in unsettled weather — wet or even snowy. A compulsory kit list appropriate to alpine racing should be treated as a genuine safety measure rather than a formality. Night running is a near-certainty for most finishers given the distance; the finish cut-off of Sunday 01:00 means a substantial portion of the back half is completed in darkness. Carry a reliable headlamp with spare batteries and familiarise yourself with the route around the Kainzenbad/Partnachklamm section, where navigation demands focus even in ideal conditions.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 697 m · —
10.7 km · 1013 m · —
19.5 km · 1285 m · Thu 00:30
27.4 km · 1616 m · —
41.2 km · 1410 m · Fri 06:30
54.6 km · 1071 m · Fri 10:45
63.2 km · 924 m · Fri 12:00
73.4 km · 1008 m · Fri 14:00
86.9 km · 992 m · Fri 17:15
91.7 km · 1701 m · Fri 19:15
100.1 km · 1357 m · Fri 21:40
107.5 km · 697 m · Fri 23:00
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