Two German hikers in distress on the Untersberg – Grödig mountain rescue deployed

Course of the operation

The terrain around the Mittagsscharte is considered tricky by mountain guides and locals: steep grassy slopes, rocky steps, and recurring treacherous fog fields make the area a trap especially for tourists unfamiliar with the region. According to the emergency crews, the two Germans had left the marked trail and covered several hundred meters in open terrain before losing their bearings completely.

After the successful recovery, those rescued were reported to be in good condition given the circumstances. They were accompanied by the mountain rescue team back onto the hiking trail and subsequently down toward the valley. According to the emergency crews, there was never any danger to life, but the hikers would no longer have been able to manage the situation on their own without the rapid response.

Hettegger expressly thanked the two hikers for their „umsichtiges Verhalten" and emphasized that the timely alarm via the emergency call on the mountain had been crucial in facilitating the operation. The two had had their mobile phone with them and made the emergency call before darkness fell.

Safety advice from the mountain rescue team

Following the operation, the Grödig mountain rescue team once again pointed out that careful tour planning is essential for trips on the Untersberg – at 1,973 meters the highest mountain of the Berchtesgaden Alps on the Austrian side. According to Hettegger, this includes sufficient provisions, suitable hiking boots, a headlamp, and above all a charged mobile phone battery in order to be able to call for help quickly in an emergency.

The mountain rescuers recommend that hikers check with the tourism board or the mountain rescue service about current trail and weather conditions before a tour. At the Mittagsscharte, it has recently been observed time and again that tourists without a map and without a local guide stray into the flanks of the massif.

Background: The Untersberg

For the two German hikers, the Saturday ended with an unintended but fortunately minor mountain rescue operation. The Grödig mountain rescue team did not provide further details regarding the identity of those rescued or any possible injuries.

The operation on the Untersberg is part of a series of rescue missions that have increasingly kept the Grödig mountain rescue team busy during the summer months. According to its own figures, the local branch was deployed several times in July and August alone because of tourists from home and abroad who had lost their way or been injured.