At 2962 meters above sea level, the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest alpine peak. Its slopes spread out gently in the daylight in this photo. It was taken from the Fern Pass mountain pass in Austria at an altitude of 1212 meters.
The German-Austrian border runs across the Zugspitze. There used to be a border crossing from Germany to Austria on the summit, but since both countries joined the Schengen zone, no one has to stand on the border exposed to alpine winds. The vegetation covering the summit of the Zugspitze is mostly tundra and there is Germany’s only glacier near the top.
This alpine view caught our attention as we drove through the Alps heading to Italy. We even managed to stop the car at the Fern Pass mountain pass – there is a great view point at this place. The road itself, while well maintained, was an adventure. Frequent bends, almost 180 degrees, constant uphill climb until our ears were buzzing and the pressure crushed the plastic bottles in the car. A day like every day! But when we saw this view from Fern Pass, we forgot how we got here…
