Alpspitze via Ferrata...

Whew...where to begin this story. I had planned on starting at the Hollentalklamm and doing that 4-5 hour ascent. That didn't really work out. I made it to Hollental parking lot at about 0700 or so and grabbed my gear and started up...didn't make it about 15 minutes before I had to break out the Goretex rain gear. By the time I made the entrance to the Klamm it was pouring, lightning, and thunder. I made the decision at that point to head back down to the Jeep and go back to the hotel to get some breakfast and wait out the weather. In the conditions going up from Hollental would have been treacherous probably with the wet rock...not to mention I would have been completely soaked...not just partially. So I got some breakfast and then left the hotel for the Alpspitzbahn at 1115...a little late but it took the thunderstorm a while to break up. Got to the Alpspitzbahn to find out that it was closed for some reason...GREAT! But the Kreuzeckbahn was open just next to it so I hopped the Kreuzeckbahn to the top. From the Kreuzeckbahn I headed up towards the Alpspitzbahn and Osterfelderkopf. I took the direct route...I think it was OL2 or something. It basically followed a chairlift line straight up to just short of the Alpspitzbahn. I was moving...I made it from the Kreuzeckbahn to the Alpspitzbahn in just under an hour (signs all said 1.5 hours). From the Alpspitzbahn I headed out along the Nordwardsteig until I hit the junction with the Alpspitz-Ferrata. From there I went up...climbing the fixed ladders and cable all along this route. Nothing technically difficult with all the ladders and cable. This route would be a very good scramble without the ladders and cable with some possible UIAA II sections. I made the top of the Alpspitze at 1400...an hour and a half!!! I ended up spending about 45 minutes on top...taking pictures, having a snack and just taking in the beauty of the mountains. At about 1445 I headed off the summit via the Oberkar on the way down to the Nordwandsteig. This was a very easy descent, with a lot of loose rock and scree. Actually this would be a nice ascent via this route too for anyone not comfortable with the ladders and cables and exposed sections of the Ferrata. I hopped and jumped and kinda skied my way down all the rock and scree and intermitent snowfields. Came back down off the Oberkar ridge and returned via the Nordwandsteig. It was a nice trip back across, going thru the tunnel and looking up at the nearly vertical walls up to the summit and Oberkar ridge. I made it from the summit to the Alpspitzbahn in an hour...of course I was "moving" cause I wasn't sure if the last gondolas on the Kreuzeckbahn left at 1700 or 1730. From the Alpspitzbahn to Kreuzeckbahn along the same route I came up it took my just over 30 minutes..."moving"...that is the word. I probably could have used some trail running shoes instead of my Vasque boots!!! I made the Kreuzeckbahn with plenty of time to spare...sat around and drank some water and had a Snickers and then headed back down into Garmisch. What a great day! Especially considering how the rain had put a damper on it in the morning!!!