Christmas chaos in Kitzbühel: Munich hikers stranded in a mountain hut!

A group of seven friends from Munich aged 21 to 39 decided to spend Christmas in a mountain hut in Austria. On December 23rd, around midday, the group set off from the Wegscheid car park (1,160 meters) to reach the Rosswildalpe (1,790 meters), a mountain hut that can be booked online for up to eight people and is described as a remote holiday paradise. The distance to the hut is 4.4 kilometers with an altitude difference of 700 meters.

Unfortunately, the hiking group underestimated the winter conditions as well as their own fitness and equipment. Due to physical exhaustion and inadequate equipment, they were unable to reach their planned destination and entered the Kuhwildalm. After spending the night in the Kuhwildalm, they made an emergency call via satellite around 11 a.m. on Christmas Eve because there was no cell phone reception.

Use of mountain rescue

The mountain rescue team was quickly on the scene and took the group with a crawler quad bike and on foot to the Bamberger Hut (1,756 meters), where they received first aid. A total of 24 emergency services from the Hopfgarten, Westendorf and Kitzbühel mountain rescue services as well as two emergency services from the Kitzbühel volunteer fire department and a police patrol were on duty. Fortunately, the group was brought to the valley unharmed.

In addition, a German hiker was killed by an avalanche in South Tyrol on Christmas Eve, and a professional athlete died in an avalanche in Switzerland on December 23rd. In Abruzzo, central Italy, there was a rescue operation for hikers who were surprised by snow. The mountain rescue service also had to be deployed to Spitzingsee in Bavaria because two hikers wearing sneakers got lost in the snow Mercury reported.

In emergencies, it is important to be well prepared and take the right measures. When calling on your cell phone in the mountains, you should ensure that the device has a full battery and carry it close to your body to ensure reception. During winter, the cell phone should be carried in the backpack on the back to keep it warm. First aid should be a priority, and in the event of an emergency, communication with the emergency center should be clear and calm, as recommended by Alpine Club.