Hikers Take Over train
In the picturesque town of Grainau, the mountain rescue service has been busier than ever. The peak of the summer season has seen a significant increase in deployments, with the Grainau mountain rescue service being alerted an unprecedented 44 times in August alone.
This surge in activity can be largely attributed to Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze. Changing weather conditions and sometimes ignorance have contributed to the increased deployments. The deployment for the 19 active mountain rescuers was not completed until 4:30 a.m. on several occasions.
The Höllentalferner, a challenging route involving a lot of altitude meters, ice, and a via ferrata, has been a particular hotspot. The early melting of snow and the ground becoming solid ice have made the route more treacherous, leading to numerous incidents.
One such incident involved a mountaineer who was stuck and exhausted at the Randkluft on Thursday. Another person fell three meters down at the via ferrata, leading to complex rescue operations. Toni Vogg, the duty leader of the Grainau mountain rescue service, who has been with the service for 20 years, remembers a deployment where three mountaineers underestimated the weather on the Zugspitze, leading to a difficult and strenuous rescue operation.
Poor self-assessment is a major problem, with some believing they are fit for the tour based on jogging. Inadequate equipment, such as bad shoes and lack of crampons, are common issues among underprepared mountaineers.
To combat this issue, Jörg Pflugmacher, head of the Alpine School Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Hans Strobl have developed two-day preparation courses priced at 349 euros each. These courses aim to ensure participants have the necessary skills and equipment before embarking on the challenging ascent of the Zugspitze.
Gernot Auer, an innkeeper, notices that more and more hikers underestimate themselves, often requiring crampons. He believes that social media, particularly Instagram influencers, are contributing to the increased number of people attempting the Zugspitze, many of whom are underprepared.
Despite the challenges, the Grainau mountain rescue service is expecting a record year with approximately 140 deployments. Toni Vogg and his team remain vigilant, ready to respond to any call for help in the treacherous mountains of Grainau.
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