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Two men from Germany, aged 41 and 48, climbed from Saletalm in Königsee via Röthsteig to Wasseralm on Friday and wanted to cross Steinerne Meer and spend the night at Kärlingerhaus in Funtensee. Although they had obtained the weather report predicting a sudden drop in the weather on Saturday, they completely underestimated the current conditions at Steinerne Meer. “Because of the snow lying there, you don’t see any roads or markings and it is very difficult to overtake because of the terrain,” said Saalfelden operations manager and Pinzgau district manager of the mountain rescue, Bernd Tritscher said Saturday at a broadcast by the Salzburg mountain rescue.
The mountaineers lose their way
In the Steinige Grube area, at an altitude of 2373 meters, one of the most remote areas of Steinerne Meer, the two climbers lost their orientation, were exhausted and could no longer continue due to the onset of darkness. Cell phone reception is very difficult in this area. However, they received reception on a hill and made an emergency call, which was received in Traunstein and sent to the control center in Salzburg.
Helicopter in action during a rescue operation.
The Saalfelden Mountain Rescue Service was alerted at 19:38 and a rescue on foot was arranged. The Salzburg police flight operations center was also notified via the regional control center. Because the weather was still good, two helicopters were able to fly into the area in the dark: “It was a flying masterpiece, the crew picked up the two climbers and took them to Saalfelden. For a recovery on foot, we would have needed five to six hours just for the ascent ”. So the mission ended shortly before 11 p.m.
Mountain rescue appeals
The Salzburg Mountain Rescue repeats its appeal to all mountain sports enthusiasts: especially now in autumn, when the days are getting shorter, good tour planning is very important. You should also pay attention to the exact weather report and the duration of the tour. There is already a lot of snow on some of the highest mountains and fresh snow is forecast for the next few days. As in this case, it would be possible to turn around at any time, often the ambition of some mountaineers is obviously too great. Many mountaineers do not have the right footwear for the snow that is already laid.
Some cabins, especially those at the higher elevations, are already closed. Others are only open on weekends. Therefore, you need to book in advance to stay overnight.
Additional use in Untersberg
Another departure for the mountain rescue in Salzburg was in Untersberg on Friday night. An 84-year-old man suffered circulatory weakness on the way from Untersberg up the Reithsteig to the valley. He was first cared for by passing mountain walkers and taken to the valley by the Grödig mountain rescue service. The rescue then took the man to hospital.
(Source: SALZBURG24)
