Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB
Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB – Mittenwald Trail
Mittenwald → Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Mittenwald Trail is the 44 km option at the Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB, a point-to-point route from the alpine town of Mittenwald over the mountains to the finish in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It carries 1951 m of climbing and reaches a high point of 2019 m, making it a substantial mountain day that shares the signature Hochalm ascent and high point with the shorter races in the series. Defined by a long approach followed by one big climb, the Mittenwald Trail asks runners to manage energy across the runnable early kilometres before committing to the decisive push to Hochalm. With cut-offs closing the finish at 17:00 on Saturday, it is a race of patience early and strength high on the mountain.
The Course & Terrain
The route sets off from Mittenwald at 914 m and rolls to Schloss Elmau at 9.5 km (1019 m), the first crew point, having stayed relatively gentle through the opening third. From there the course runs to Laubhütte at 22.9 km (991 m) before the terrain changes character entirely on the climb to Hochalm at 27.8 km (1702 m), with the 2019 m high point immediately beyond. After Hochalm the route descends to Trögllift at 36.2 km (1358 m) and continues down to the finish in Garmisch-Partenkirchen at 43.9 km (697 m). With 1951 m of gain over 44 km, the profile is back-loaded: long, runnable middle sections around the 1000 m band followed by a concentrated climb to the alpine high point and an extended descent. Expect valley and forest trail early, exposed alpine terrain around Hochalm, and steeper descending toward the finish.
The Decisive Climb to Hochalm
The race turns on the climb from Laubhütte (22.9 km, 991 m) to Hochalm (27.8 km, 1702 m) — roughly 700 m of gain in around 5 km, immediately followed by the 2019 m high point. Everything before it is preparation; everything after is a descent to be run on whatever legs remain. Arriving at Laubhütte with reserves intact is the key tactical goal of the first two-thirds of the course. Hochalm is both the crux and a crew point, closing at 13:30, while Schloss Elmau at 9.5 km closes earlier at 09:00. This means the long runnable stretch from Schloss Elmau to Laubhütte must be covered efficiently to reach the base of the big climb with time in hand. Runners who treat the gentle middle kilometres as a chance to bank easy time — without burning matches — set themselves up to grind the Hochalm ascent steadily and descend strongly to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
How to Pace & Fuel It
Checkpoint spacing is a factor here: it is 9.5 km to Schloss Elmau, then a long 13.4 km to Laubhütte, then 4.9 km to Hochalm, then 8.4 km to Trögllift and 7.7 km to the finish. The 13.4 km gap between Schloss Elmau and Laubhütte is the longest carry on the course, and it precedes the biggest climb — so leave Schloss Elmau with enough fluid and calories to cover both that stretch and the ascent beyond. The cut-offs — Schloss Elmau at 09:00, Hochalm at 13:30, and the finish at 17:00 — reward a steady, front-controlled effort. Bank sensible margin across the runnable early and middle sections without redlining, top up fully at the Schloss Elmau and Hochalm crew points, and save your strongest downhill running for the descent from Hochalm through Trögllift to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Because the climbing is concentrated late, arriving at Hochalm well-fuelled is what turns the long descent into time gained rather than survived.
Conditions to Expect
As an alpine point-to-point reaching 2019 m, the Mittenwald Trail exposes runners to genuine mountain conditions high on the course even when the valleys at Mittenwald (914 m) and Garmisch-Partenkirchen (697 m) are mild. The section around Hochalm and the high point runs through exposed terrain where wind, cold and rapid weather changes are all realistic, so pack layers suited to alpine exposure rather than the conditions at the start line. The point-to-point format means you finish in a different valley from where you started, so plan logistics and drop bags accordingly and make full use of the crew points at Schloss Elmau and Hochalm. The descent from Hochalm to the finish is steep and rewards sure footing, particularly in the wet. With the race finishing by 17:00 on Saturday, most of the day is spent moving, but the mountain environment around the high point demands respect regardless of the calendar.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 914 m · —
9.5 km · 1019 m · Sat 09:00
22.9 km · 991 m · —
27.8 km · 1702 m · Sat 13:30
36.2 km · 1358 m · —
43.9 km · 697 m · Sat 17:00
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