GaPa Everesting Festival

On May 8 & 9, 2026, it’s happening.

The ultimate challenge for endurance junkies is calling: Everesting. For one epic weekend, you’ll have the chance to tick this legendary challenge off your bucket list at the premiere of the GaPa Everesting Festival at Eckbauer. Endless uphill, tired legs, big smiles, and if you make it, you’ll earn yourself a well-deserved spot among the Local Legends.

Go to the website

Everything you need to know:

Everesting

The whole spectacle takes place at Eckbauer in Garmisch – and yes, the obvious question comes up immediately:
“So… how many times am I supposed to run up there?”

The answer is as simple as it is brutal: 18 times.
Not once. Not twice. But over and over again – until you either reach enlightenment or your calves start having very serious conversations with you.

The good news: getting down is easy thanks to the gondola.
The even better news: at the top, a well-stocked food station is waiting to refill your energy stores properly.
The small catch? With that many fresh carbs in your system, walking down would probably be much faster – but hey, we’re trying to keep things fair.

You can take on the whole madness solo or split it smartly in a team of two or three. Perfect for anyone who feels that 18 repetitions might be just a tiny bit too… repetitive.

Wave starts take place on May 8 between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m., grouped by performance levels.
Since we (thankfully) all still have at least some sort of life outside of running uphill, the official finish cut-off is May 9 at 12:30 p.m. – at some point, even this gets boring.

Those of you with an extra appetite for hiking are welcome to keep going beyond that and battle it out for the Local Legend title.
Just without official support.
Because sometimes, you have to learn how to let go.

GaPa500

Eighteen laps sound like a bit much?
Or would you rather completely destroy yourself in the shortest time possible?
Then GaPa500 is exactly your thing.

One lap. 3.3 kilometers. 503 meters of elevation gain. Plenty of time to redline the engine and stumble across the finish line after a single climb, impressively pale. Magnificent. It’s the perfect way to get a first taste of Everesting without committing your entire future to Eckbauer.
The start is on May 9 at 10:00 a.m., with the cut-off already at 12:00 p.m. — efficient suffering at its finest.

You probably won’t earn Local Legend status here.
But the prestigious KOM suddenly feels very achievable. And sometimes… that’s more than enough.

Expo at the valley station

And because running uphill 18 times apparently isn’t quite enough sensory overload, an expo with selected top brands will be waiting for you down at the valley station.

Before the start, mid-suffering, or afterwards, you’ll have the chance to gear up properly — and no, not for looking at things, but for testing them in real conditions.

In short: no trade-show small talk, just gear where it belongs — out in the wild.
So if you’re already suffering, show some self-respect and at least suffer with good equipment.

Among the brands on site are Salomon, HOKA, Petzl, LEKI, and many more.
A full overview of all brands and available test gear can be found further down the page.

The hard facts at a glance

Everesting

When: May 8, from 9:00 a.m. until May 9, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Eckbauer Gondola, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Options: Solo / 2-person team / 3-person team

Entry fee: €300 (Solo) / €475 (2-person team) / €650 (3-person team)

GaPa500

When: May 9, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Eckbauer Gondola, Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Entry fee: €20

Food Stations

A generously stocked food station awaits you at the top station.
Down at the valley station, you’ll find only a small one.

Yet another reason to keep running uphill.

Drop Bag

On every lap, you can drop your drop bag at the top station.
You can either leave it there or take it down to the valley station — it will be transported back up for you.

Timing

Bad news for all downhill racers: only the uphill running time counts.
Which officially makes the gondola just as fast. For your ego, however, you’re still welcome to try and beat it.