Höllentalferner, Glacier in the Wetterstein Mountains, Grainau, Germany

The Höllentalferner is a cirque glacier on the northeast slope of the Zugspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains, within the municipality of Grainau. It fills the upper Höllental valley, a rock basin between the Riffelwandspitzen and the Jubiläumsgrat. It is about one kilometre long, up to 700 metres wide, and in 2025 covered just under 13 hectares, making it Germany's largest glacier ahead of the Nördlicher Schneeferner.

The Höllentalferner reached its modern maximum extent of 47 hectares around 1820, with further high phases around 1850, 1920 and 1965–1980; moraine walls in its forefield mark these earlier stands. Its volume was estimated at 4.87 million m³ in 2009 but only 1.74 million m³ in 2018, a loss of more than half within the 2010s. In 2025 it covered just under 13 hectares, making it Germany's largest glacier ahead of the Northern Schneeferner.

Many German mountaineers consider crossing the Höllentalferner glacier an essential part of their traditional ascent to the Zugspitze summit.

Crossing this ice field requires crampons, rope, and solid alpine skills due to hidden crevasses and slippery sections. You should check local conditions before starting and ideally go with an experienced mountain guide.

In 2025 the Höllentalferner covered just under 13 hectares, making it Germany's largest glacier ahead of the Northern Schneeferner. Its volume was 1.74 million m³ in 2018, down from an estimated 4.87 million m³ in 2009. Around 1820 it reached its modern maximum of 47 hectares.