Alpspitze Via Ferrata in five hour's round trip.

SEPTEMBER 15 2005 Woke up at around 08:00 hrs. and took the wife and kid's to eat breakfast not intending to atempt any climbing this day. The weather forcast called for thunderstorm's, this is so common in the Alp's. I didn't even look out of a window untill about 09:00hrs. After breakfast we were walking past some big window's and I could see the entire mountain including the Zugspitze. I couldn't believe how georgous the scenery was. I had been here several time's before this and each time that I come it is like the first time. I looked at my wife very excitedley and said let's go and get a new up date on the weather report. When we checked the forcast, it haden't changed form the day before. I was not satisfied so I went outside and took a baromiter reading off of my Casio ProTrek PRG-70, and it read a steady reading of high presure. So I made the call on that because it gave me the answer that I was looking for reguardless if it was right or not .I was going to go for it! I told my wife to get it in her mind that she would be standing on top of the Alpspitze in a few hour's and she agreed not realy knowing what she was commiting her self to do. We went into high gear, took the two kid's to a babysitter, and were at the top of the Alpspitze-bohn (Tram) by 10:00.am. Upon ariving my wife Kristina said; Are we going up that? And with that we were off and going. Just in front of us were what looked like some pro climber's you know the type, the one's who look like that is all that they do . We followed out of courtesy so that we wouldn't get in their way. We found a nice place to gear up, and let the local climber's go ahead. Soon we were climbing and it immediatly began to get steep. The very begining is an indacation of the entire route. If you can go one hundred yard's(or Meter's) you can go all the way. We followed the climber's ahead of us but never fell behind. I was smiling because I knew that this was going to be the first summit for my wife. I was so proud that she stayed on the heel's of the supposed professionals as well as she did. We could have gone up much faster ,but I was taking time to make shure that I wasn't pushing her to hard, after all we were out to just have some fun. Soon my wife said that she wanted to lead, so I let her. She did all of the remaning route finding, the rest of the way to the top of the summit. I was so proud of her because I know that she is scared of height's. There was a few spot's that I needed to give her a bit of encouragement. The Alpspitze can be steep, and I haven't seen very many picture's that show that very well. I am planing to do a mulityday climb this winter with a friend through the Jubilaumsgrat Ridge Massif to the Zuggspitze. I will get some of thoes picture's for Summit Post. Back on subject at about 12:00 noon we reached the summit and singed the log book, took some picture's and headed down the back side through the normal route around to the bottom and back to the Alpspitze-bohn(Tram).Kristina and I were back in the parking lot at 16:00 hrs. I would recomend the Alpspitze Via Ferrata to a beginer if the weather is good, and you climb with someone who has some climbing experience. In incliment weather the route can be very slipery and prone to rock hazard. You need a helmet. last winter I almost went over a hundred foot clift because of bad conditions lower on the mountain. The route is even suitable for healthy kid's, but I wouldn't take anyone younger than 10 year's old. Even then I would be selective. I would recomend that you take a cammera, a chicken sling, harness ,three biners , a bottle of water,and some snack's or a lunch. Dress acording to the weather. Wear a helmet. Go light and fast. I carried a 25lb. pack for exercise and didn't even feel it. The scenery is just great.You can see Garmisch-Partkirtchen as well as the Jumblasgrat RIDGE-MASSIF and the Zugspitze from an interisting vantage point.