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Höllentalklamm near Garmisch
Photo: Imagebroker / ullstein bild
The hiking season in the Bavarian Alps has started with lots of sun and a tragic accident.
Last week, a couple had an accident in the Zugspitz area near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who wanted to cross a snow-covered path on a tour from the Höllentalangerhütte in the direction of the Hupfleitenjoch.
According to the police, the hikers were wearing sneakers.
The woman and man lost their footing on the slippery ground and fell down.
Rescue workers from the mountain rescue service complain again and again that day trippers go into the mountains with the wrong footwear and that accidents occur as a result.
Every year mountaineers in sneakers even try to scale the summit of the Zugspitze.
"Many people are simply inexperienced," says Michael Lentrodt, President of the Association of German Mountain and Ski Guides.
In the summer, if conditions allow, there is nothing wrong with a tour in light shoes, says Lentrodt.
However, alpine fans who set off for the Alps in spring must reckon with the fact that many paths and climbs are still covered with snow and ice in places.
Lentrodt appeals to hikers to always wear robust mountaineering boots with stiff soles in the mountains.
The models don't look as chic as sneakers.
But they protect against injuries in passages with scree, the rough profile provides the necessary grip on slippery ground, and the stable caps of the special shoes make it easier to kick in the snow.
Mountain tours are becoming increasingly popular.
Mountaineering experts have been observing with concern for years that the season is starting earlier, with people heading to the Alps as early as April.
More and more hiking enthusiasts are tempted by the spring-like temperatures in the valley to undertake demanding tours on their own and without a mountain guide - and are then surprised by the wintry conditions at high altitudes.
In such cases, it is best to cancel the planned excursion immediately, says Franz Güntner from the German Alpine Club.
"If you don't have the right equipment and skills to safely cross a snowfield, you'd better turn back." GP
