Mountain rescue service warns: Winter hiking to Schrecksee is life-threatening!

Mountain rescue service warns: Winter hiking to Schrecksee is life-threatening!

Winter has the Allgäu Alps firmly in its grip. There has been snow at higher altitudes for a few weeks now, and the picturesque one Schrecksee near Hinterstein, which lies at an altitude of around 1,813 meters, is hidden under a blanket of snow. This popular hiking destination, which attracts many visitors in summer with its impressive views and striking islet, turns into dangerous terrain in winter.

The Hinterstein mountain rescue service issues an urgent warning: the route to Schrecksee is extremely risky in winter. In addition to the risk of avalanches and icy steep slopes, hikers can also easily become disoriented due to poor visibility in the winter darkness. “Hiking there in winter is life-threatening,” emphasizes the mountain rescue service, which has previously gained enough experience with emergencies in this region.

Incidents and rescue operations

A not entirely unknown problem: two years ago, the mountain rescue service had to respond to an emergency call after two hikers were no longer able to descend into the valley due to darkness and snowfall. They had set out to go ice skating on ice skates and mistakenly thought the tour was “easy”. The serious situation meant that rescue workers had to help out with bivouac equipment and heat packs to help the hikers who had to spend the night on the mountain.

Last year there was another spectacular operation at Schrecksee when an emergency call came in after a thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail. A woman reported that her husband and son had not returned from a hike. The rescue helicopter “Christoph 17” was only able to take off after visibility had improved. Ultimately, the missing hikers, who had been unsecured in nature, were found in an alpine hut - soaked but fortunately uninjured.

Make people aware of dangers

All of these incidents show how important good preparation and correct behavior are in the mountains. A recent study by the Alpine Club deals with typical accidents and emergencies when hiking in the mountains. What is particularly noteworthy is that a third of the reports in the DAV mountain accident statistics concern the hikers themselves. Although many of those surveyed have sufficient experience, 57% say they have been close to a thunderstorm at least once in the last ten years - with all the dangerous consequences that this can bring.

Experts therefore recommend that you inform yourself well before every tour, keep an eye on the weather conditions and always have emergency equipment with you. The right equipment can save lives in an emergency and protect against dangerous situations in the mountains.

The Hinterstein mountain rescue service therefore urges all hikers to avoid tours to Schrecksee and similar high alpine destinations in winter. The dangers are real, and nature, in all its wintry beauty, also has a dark side that should not be underestimated.