mountain rescues - Mountaineer rescued from highest distress in cliff wall
The mountain rescue team rescued a 61-year-old mountaineer from a life-threatening situation at the Sonntagshorn in Oberbayern on Sunday. The man had set out on a tour on Friday morning and had climbed the challenging north wall in the Chiemgauer Alps, but could no longer climb independently, according to the Bergwacht Ruhpolding.
After spending the night in the cliff, his distress calls went unheard initially and there was no mobile phone reception available. He was discovered by a passerby on Saturday morning. The mountain rescue team immediately deployed a helicopter and lowered four rescuers.
The rescue team found the man in an extremely precarious situation: "He was desperately trying to hold on with his hands and feet in the steep terrain, but the rock around him was extensively loose and crumbly. He had been sliding down for hours, piece by piece, and was now hanging directly over an abyss", described the mountain rescue team.
The mountain rescuers were able to secure the man and bring him to the valley with the helicopter. The 61-year-old from the Landkreis Rosenheim was exhausted and dehydrated, but otherwise uninjured.
In the same region of Upper Bavaria, Mountain Watch Ruhpolding is renowned for its specialized mountain rescue operations. The challenging north wall in the Chiemgauer Alps is a popular leisure spot for mountain climbers in Bavaria. The incident served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the Alps, highlighting the importance of proper preparation and caution when undertaking such adventures. After being rescued, the mountaineer expressed his gratitude to the Upper Bavarian emergency services and vowed to be more cautious in future mountain excursions.
