Feel the mountain experience: Alpine photographer Bernd Ritschel shows film on the Blomberg

Created: 07/06/2022, 19:00

By: Melina Staar

Bernd Ritschel captures magical moments with his camera.

© Krause, Johansen

A lecture in a very special environment awaits all interested parties on Sunday, July 10th.

Bernd Ritschel will appear on the Blomberg as part of the open-air cinema series.

Bad Tölz

- "Bavarian Alps - my mountain home" - that's the name of the film by and with Bernd Ritschel, which can be seen on July 10th as part of the Forest Games Festival on the Blomberg.

It starts at 9.45 p.m. in the open-air cinema near the Blomberghaus.

Admission is free.

The mountain railway runs longer this evening.

Beforehand, the Tölzer Kurier spoke to the internationally renowned alpine photographer Ritschel.

Mr. Ritschel, what can visitors look forward to on July 10?

Bernd Ritschel:

To an authentic, emotional, personal and informative lecture about our mountain home.

I've been hiking in the mountains for 45 years.

There is a lot to tell.

What changes have you noticed over the years?

Bernd Ritschel:

The climatic changes are very noticeable.

We already have to live with massive effects.

Severe weather events are increasing.

Just one example: I was at Lainbach this morning.

The thunderstorm from the day before had partially destroyed the newly renovated path.

It will be an ever greater effort to secure and maintain hiking trails.

The forest is also not as resilient as it used to be, due to drought and storms.

What has also changed is that many more people are now going to the mountains, and this mass influx of course also causes problems.

How can you change that?

Bernd Ritschel:

The goal should not necessarily be that fewer people go to the mountains.

Being out and about in nature and in the mountains is good for people and is very, very important.

Most also treat nature with respect.

Nowadays, for example, there is less rubbish lying around on the Jochberg than in the past - so the messages are getting through.

And in principle it is also better for the environment if people from the Munich area go to the nearby mountains rather than driving to Lake Garda over the weekend or even flying somewhere.

But as I said, we get a lot of all that here on the edge of the Alps.

The numbers on the Jochberg, for example, have increased tenfold compared to when I was young.

On a nice day, 600 to 800 people go up this mountain today.

How can that be steered?

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Bernd Ritschel:

A lot has already been done: Proper parking lots have been set up, toilets have been set up and the first paths are being renovated.

A lot of positive things have happened.

And thank God there are many other good solutions.

Is your lecture location, the Blomberg, such a solution?

A mountain that attracts many people who don't go to other mountains?

Bernd Ritschel:

Yes, exactly, we actually need mountains like the Blomberg that are open to tourists, not just for hikers, but also for mountain bikers, for example.

Personally, I think ecologically optimized downhills on the Blomberg would make sense, then the mountain bikers wouldn't have to be on narrow hiking trails or even remote hunter's trails.

The infrastructure with large parking lots is already in place on the Blomberg.

You just have to look for pragmatic solutions.

What is the advantage of giving the lecture at the Blomberg?

And who do you want to address in particular?

Bernd Ritschel:

There is no better setting than to report on nature in nature.

With this lecture, I would like to address all mountain enthusiasts and all photo friends, including young people.

What was the most extreme thing you experienced while taking photos?

Bernd Ritschel:

Photographing thunderstorms is the most exciting and impressive thing for me.

This energy in nature is insane, especially when you get up close and personal with it.

But of course this is nothing to imitate.

As I said, I've been hiking in the mountains for over 45 years and have experienced hundreds of thunderstorms, which means I can judge to some extent how a thunderstorm develops, where it's going and when it becomes dangerous for me.

Are you looking for the motives or do the motives find you?

Bernd Ritschel:

Both.

The best thing is just to let yourself drift.

To be free without pressure.

To be present, to have time and a good snack with you.

And when a nice photo succeeds, I feel grateful.

But I'm no less happy if I don't bring a photo home with me.

I also regularly go into the mountains quite consciously without a camera.

Do you know exactly what you photographed?

Bernd Ritschel:

Yes, actually, I saved most of the photos in my head.

I deal with it every day, make selections, work with my pictures and am therefore very close to it.

I now have a quarter of a million pictures in the archive.

I actually photographed the Jochberg most often, my favorite mountain.

Alpine photographer Bernd Ritschel © Raymond del Sel

What makes the Jochberg your favorite mountain?

Bernd Ritschel:

For me, it is the link between the lowlands and the real mountains.

You can see Munich in the north, and in the south I can see the big walls in the Karwendel with lots of crazy climbing memories from my youth.

The mountain presents itself differently every time.

I like to be up there in the early morning hours when the air is still very clear.

Is there any mountain in the region that you haven't climbed yet?

Bernd Ritschel:

No, I don't think so.

I've been to every peak between the Croda Rossa and the Ammergau Alps, and recently I had the fun of counting the meters in altitude in my head: In my life I've climbed around two million meters in altitude so far.

Nowadays, many people on the mountain are technically well equipped, with altimeters, heart rate monitors and timers.

They also?

Bernd Ritschel:

No, I'm not a friend of too much technology.

With so many tours you get a pretty good feel for the mountains.

You notice for yourself how many meters of altitude you have already covered.

But many see the mountain today more as a piece of sports equipment and want to get up and down as quickly as possible.

Of course, if it fulfills them, that's a good thing too.

But I don't think they really feel the mountain experience.

You are also involved in the campaign "Conservation begins with you".

Bernd Ritschel:

Yes, exactly.

It all started when I produced videos for "Tölzer Land Tourismus".

We have always considered together as a team which messages we want to convey.

So I got more and more involved.

In the meantime, I try to include the topic as often as possible, in lectures, in books and also in photo workshops.

I realize that it is good and important if you have a clear opinion on this and can give something to the participants.

If you live something with enthusiasm and passion, you can achieve much more than with a raised index finger.

What projects do you have in store for this year?

Bernd Ritschel:

We hope to be able to completely renovate the Jochbergsteig this autumn.

There will be a big day of action on September 17th.

With the support of the German Alpine Club and above all the Tutzing section, the three of us plan and organize the entire project on a voluntary basis.

The goal is to make the Munich team, who are unfortunately often criticized and only seen as a problem during the two Corona years, part of the solution.

We want to try to get all the material up without helicopter flights.

Our dream really is that as many hikers as possible help carry the tons of material up there.

This heart issue has been on my mind for over half a year now.

You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.