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In Ostallgäu, the Pfronten municipality and the police have closed the popular toboggan run from Hündleskopfhütte to Pfronten-Kappel until further notice, due to a flood of visitors. In recent days, parking lots in Pfronten have been completely overcrowded, police say. The vast majority of the visitors were foreign hikers. Therefore, the community and the police were forced to contain the flood of visitors to reduce rescue operations and not burden the clinics with additional injuries. The police want to monitor the closure of the slide with the patrol forces.
Serious sleigh accident on New Years Eve
Just yesterday, a 45-year-old woman was seriously injured while sledding. Two other slides were no longer able to brake their sled on the steep descent and collided with the 45-year-old sled. According to police, the woman was thrown from her sled and initially remained unconscious. Rescuers from the mountain rescue service were nearby and provided first aid before the woman with a back injury was airlifted to a clinic. The other two people involved in the accident were only slightly injured.
Local politicians appealed to the state government
Many daytime tourists are drawn to the Alps even in the running of the bulls. The ski areas are closed, but many people go to the mountains on sleds and touring skis. Therefore, the Miesbach district administrator approached the Bavarian state government with a request for help just a few days ago. Daytime tourism is particularly rampant at the Spitzingsee and Schliersee. The local hospital “rightly feared that the emergency room is overloaded with the likely increase in injuries.” The Bavarian Forest National Park Administration also recently complained about the influx of visitors. Some of the hikers did not stay on the trails. Some parked escape routes due to crowded parking spaces and blocked bus bays or turn plates.
The state government did not want to impose a blanket ban on hiking or winter sports. Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) appealed to citizens to respect distance rules on excursions and avoid crowds.
Police register fewer hikers in New Years
Unlike on Christmas days, the New Years Day excursion was relatively uneventful. Police headquarters had not received reports of large crowds or parked streets in the afternoon. A spokeswoman for the Zugspitzbahn in Garmisch-Partenkirchen said the number of passengers was “very clear” despite the sun and the Four Hills Tournament on Friday.
Police had announced in advance that they would show more presence in popular hiking regions and monitor parking bans. Additionally, hikers were asked to reconsider trips to heavily visited areas.
