 Patrons of Garmisch's spas sometimes take-in the sunshine at the summit as part of their "Liegekur" ("deckchair cure").The summit observatory, which is located at an altitude of , is an important scientific measuring station operated by the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.Since 1972 it has measured a variety of atmospheric and climatic phenomena, including the levels of ozone, nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide and various hydrocarbons in the atmosphere as well as meteorological data such as the levels of temperature, dew point, relative humidity, pressure, wind, global and direct irradiance.