The hiking season is just around the corner.
The agreed securing of the western ridge of the Brecherspitz should now start shortly, announces the DAV Schliersee.
Spitzingsee
- The time when 20 “Sherpas” could be recruited with a snack are long gone, says Marius Neudeck. So the chairman of the DAV section Schliersee has to organize a helicopter to fly material and tools from the valley to the exposed west ridge of the Brecherspitz. Since that alone would probably blow the section's budget, Neudeck is now trying to hook up with an air transport of wood for avalanche control paid for by the forestry office. The problem: The timing of the entire project has to fit exactly, the time window is just as narrow as the line on the mountain.
Just one point among many that make securing the crash-prone area of the hiking trail on the Brecherspitz so complex, time-consuming and therefore tedious.
As reported, there had been repeated fatal mountain accidents at the 35-meter-long key point on the west side of the summit in recent years.
After an intensive exchange between the Alpine Association, the municipality and the Bavarian State Forests as landowners and a specialist company, it was finally agreed to lead the route further up the ridge past the dangerous steep slope.
Originally, the required iron bars, hooks and ropes should have been installed in autumn of last year, but the action was postponed to spring 2021.
It is now clear that it will probably be early summer.
Subsidies from DAV and the government of Upper Bavaria
The delay is not due to the operational readiness on site, emphasizes Neudeck. Rather, the DAV section has its hands full to get the financing of the 16,650 euro project off the ground. The section raised 3300 euros from its own funds, and 5000 euros in basic aid was provided by the Huts and Paths department of the DAV main association. The Presidium has already approved this, explains Neudeck. The grant from the government of Upper Bavaria (8,300 euros) was recently approved. If the Lower Nature Conservation Authority at the District Office gives the green light, you can finally get started.
In any case, sufficient support would be available.
While the Schlierseer Bauhof provides the material and tools, the DAV section Miesbach, who is friends, has already drawn up a list of potential helpers.
Because of the Corona requirements, the action must be registered with the district office.
Although this is a joint project, the safety obligation of the climb remains with the DAV, emphasizes Neudeck.
Also read: Mountain rescue service has to rescue hikers from Dürnbachwand
That is why it was also important for route consultant Robert Viehweger to carry out the planning with a specialist company.
There will be no major changes to the route, explains Viehweger.
“The existing auxiliary rope is being renovated globally, as it is very old, but not dangerous.” In the most accident-prone section, the handrail guide will be laid directly on the ridge.
The path shouldn't be a via ferrata
Actually, it is not really a matter of relocation, as hikers are already using this variant.
"Strictly speaking, we are talking more of a closure of the route further down," says Viehweger.
The technical details have not yet been finally clarified.
But one thing is important to Viehweger: "We are not building a via ferrata here, even if some online blogs use this to describe every safety line and the execution is based on these principles."
Also interesting: hiking group disembarks at the Brecherspitz - mountain rescue service moves out
Neudeck now hopes that the work can be completed before the start of the hiking season.
“We have to completely block the path for this.” One thing is still important to the chairman of the section: According to the Alpine Police, despite the recent accumulation of accidents on the Brecherspitz-West Ridge, there was no legal obligation to defuse it.
"Morally," says Neudeck, "but we've already felt responsible."
so-called
