Garmisch

We were just in GaPa the last two days. Ask your hotel for a GaPa Card good for green city buses.
We took the rail up to Zugspitze at approx 9:00. Spent a few hours enjoying the view (and some Bavarian whisky), playing in the snow, and were back in town by approx 13:30.
We then hopped a city bus to the ski jump, had some lunch, and found the sommereodelbahn by accident. Single ride €2,50.
Note the cogwheel train run by Zugspitze is in a separate building behind the main GaPa station.
I cannot comment on the hiking.
Hope this helps.

I did Partnachklamm as a day trip from Munich. Parking for it, like the Sommerrodelbahn, is at the Ski Jump/Olympic Stadium. These two activities can be easily combined. A couple of friends and I did the hike on a cold, rainy day in about 3 hours, as I recall (including the 15-20 min walk from the stadium to the gorge in each direction); this included a stop for soup, hot chocolate, and conversation at the snack house along the high path (I would suggest hiking in via the low path at the level of the water; hike out via the path that takes you up above the gorge and includes foot bridges over the river). There are options for extending the hike beyond Partnachklamm. If you have good German reading skills, check out the exhibition behind the ticket office at the Olympic Stadium on the Nazis and the 1936 Winter Olympics.

I didn't go to the top of Zugspitze, so can't help there.

I spent a week there and easily could have stayed longer. Two days should be enough for your list.

Great questions and responses. I will be in this area in July for a few days. I was wondering how hard it will be to navigate around the town and area with no German language skills.

I was wondering how hard it will be to navigate around the town and area with no German language skills.

Just give it a try. You will find it easy as long as you avoid slang.

Has anyone done a Via Ferrata in the area? How do yo find a guide with the equipment?

Has anyone done a Via Ferrata in the area? How do yo find a guide with the equipment?

For via ferrata tours on the Alpspitz look here:

http://www.alpinschule-garmisch.de/Via-Ferrata-Garmisch