Conquering Germany's Highest Peak: The Zugspitze Summit

The Return to Zugspitze

Our first attempt at summiting the Zugspitze in January ended in disappointment. Despite our military background and physical preparation, nature had other plans. We found ourselves trudging through chest-deep powder without snowshoes, forcing us to make the difficult but necessary decision to turn back over 10 miles into our 14.5 mile hike.

In the military, we learn that failure isn't final – it's feedback. We analyzed what went wrong, adjusted our strategy, and planned a more successful mission. For our February attempt, we assembled a stronger team of six officers from the regiment, acquired essential equipment (particularly snowshoes), and returned with renewed determination.

The Ascent: Strategy in Motion

Our day began at 4:30 AM at our Garmisch-Partenkirchen lodging. After a hasty breakfast, we drove to our starting point at the Olympic ski jump – the same place where our previous attempt began. The mission ahead: a challenging 14.5-mile hike with significant elevation gain.

The first 10 miles through the Reintal Valley offered relatively easy terrain with gradual elevation gain. Here, our strategy was simple: maintain a steady pace, conserve energy, and stay hydrated.

The real challenge began as we climbed out of the valley bowl. Even with snowshoes, each step became a battle with gravity. For every four steps up, I'd slide back one. My heart rate surged as we navigated increasingly steep terrain. We all took turns breaking trail through the snow, but Jack consistently took point on the steepest portions.

Technical Challenges and Risk Management

By 1330 hours, we reached the ski hut just a half mile from the summit. After refueling, we switched from snowshoes to crampons for the final ridge approach. Our confidence was high – the summit was within reach, and we had time to catch the last gondola down at 1645.

Military training teaches you to expect the unexpected. Soon after leaving the ski hut, my right crampon malfunctioned, coming loose on the via ferrata. As I reached down to secure it, I began sliding down the rockface – a heart-stopping moment that required immediate action. I self-arrested with my ice axe, a technique practiced with my more experienced friend Chris during our last attempt.

This incident forced us to reassess our risk tolerance. Jack and Chris decided we should don climbing harnesses for the exposed sections of the via ferrata – a tactical pause that, while time-consuming, prioritized safety over speed.

The Final Push: Calculated Risk

At 1620 hours, with just 25 minutes until the last gondola's departure, I reached a trail sign indicating 35 minutes to the summit. This critical moment required a strategic decision: maintain our current safety protocol and potentially miss the gondola, or accept calculated risk to reach our objective.

Drawing on military decision-making, I recommended to Jack that we forgo clipping into the via ferrata to save time, instead using it only for stability while moving as quickly as safely possible. We accelerated our pace over the final ridge segment, making split-second risk assessments with each step.

The summit rush was exhilarating – the perfect blend of calculated risk, physical challenge, and teamwork. We reached the top with just five minutes to spare before the gondola's departure.

Lessons from the Mountain

Every summit offers lessons that extend beyond mountaineering. This expedition reinforced principles I've learned in the military and that apply equally to business and life:

1. Strategic preparation overcomes obstacles: Our first attempt failed due to inadequate equipment. The second succeeded because we returned better prepared with the right tools.

2. Teams accomplish what individuals cannot: Each team member played a crucial role, from Jack breaking trail to others managing group morale during challenging sections.

3. Adaptability is essential: When time constraints threatened our goal, we recalibrated our risk assessment.

4. The rush of achieving difficult goals is addictive: The feeling of reaching the summit after overcoming multiple challenges creates a sense of accomplishment that drives you toward the next challenge.

As Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography, "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

What's Next?

The Zugspitze summit has only strengthened my appetite for alpine adventure. Follow my journey to see more mountaineering expeditions this year.

These mountains offer not just physical challenges, but laboratories for leadership, strategic thinking, and risk management – skills that translate directly to my professional transition from military service to business school and beyond.

As Jon Krakauer wrote in "Eiger Dreams", "It is because they have so much to give and give it so lavishly... that men love the mountains and go back to them again and again." The mountains have indeed given me much – and I intend to return for more.

What mountains (literal or figurative) are you looking to conquer? Share your thoughts in the comments below.