Alpine safety in summer

With your backpack on your shoulders and a cool morning breeze on your face, you set off in a good mood towards the summit. With every step you feel the burden of everyday life fall away, your thoughts set free and you let the peace and serenity of nature pass over to you. What could be more beautiful? But despite this idyllic view you should never forget one thing: safety first! So that you can enjoy your vacation in the Kaiserwinkl region to the fullest, we have put together the most important tips for alpine safety for you.

If you are planning a hike in the mountains, it is important from the beginning to realistically assess your own condition and fitness. In the heat of the moment, it can quickly happen that you expect too much of yourself and it would be a shame if you have to abandon a planned tour early because it simply turns out to be too demanding for your current condition. You'll get more out of it if you're honest with yourself and leave room for improvement on your first hikes.

In addition to a good physical condition, other challenges await you on a mountain hike, for the assessment of which you need a certain amount of experience: Many a person has suddenly realized during their first confrontation with an exposed ridge that they are not as free from vertigo as they assumed or that their favorite sneakers are suddenly no longer as comfortable on rocky mountain slopes as they were when hiking through the forest. Here you should always trust your gut feeling: If you don't feel comfortable in a situation, there's no point in forcing anything. The difficult place that has already cost you all your strength on the ascent will not be easier on the descent when you are tired.

Before you set out on a hike, you should make a detailed plan: Which route do you want to take? Where are the rest stops? Are the cabins where you want to stop for a rest open? Are there drinking water sources along the way where you can replenish your reserves? What will the weather be like on the day of the excursion and is your planned tour safe in the announced weather conditions?
The tourist office or the host of your accommodation can give you valuable tips! So: Just ask!

It also makes sense to get an overview of the expected duration of individual stages and note them down. This way you can check during your hike if you can keep to the estimated schedule or if you have to adjust the length of your tour. Turning back in time to avoid being surprised by darkness in the middle of the slope is not a sign of weakness, but of common sense!
And if you want to be on the safe side, we offer you a number of guided hikes accompanied by our highly trained guides.

A good principle for your equipment is: as little as possible, but as much as necessary! In any case, you should make sure that you have everything with you to ensure your safety even in unforeseen situations.

Whether you are traveling alone or in a group, someone should always know where you are and when you will be back. It is best to agree with this person how to reach you if you are not back at the agreed time and when help should be called. If you unexpectedly change your hiking route during your tour, it is important to inform your contact person.

Remember to manage your energy well. At the beginning of a tour, it makes sense to set a comfortable pace in order to have reserves for the probably more strenuous, steeper sections. On any outing, take your cue from the weakest member of your group! If you are one of the more experienced participants on your tour, always keep an eye on weaker people and take their state of exhaustion into account when planning rest breaks.

Regular rest stops will give you the opportunity to recharge your reserves and recharge your batteries for the next stage of the trail. A midday rest in a cabin will help you get through the hottest part of the day and also give you the opportunity to replenish your water supply.

Pay attention to the signs during your hike and always have an up-to-date hiking map with you in addition to your GPS device or cell phone in case of emergency. Unfortunately, electronic devices are never 100% reliable and you should always have an alternative available for your safety. Please also make sure before you start your hike that all members of your group are able to orientate themselves with GPS and map and know which way they will come back home.

If you are traveling in rocky terrain, you should also always keep an eye on the danger of falling rocks. If you come to a place that is marked as a rockfall hazard, please pass it individually, quickly and without stopping. Be aware of hikers above you on the slope as well as people further down. Even a small stone kicked loose can cause great damage on its way down.

It is very important to also educate children about the dangers in the mountains and to create an awareness in them that they should never intentionally kick loose stones or throw them down the slope. Should this happen nevertheless, please warn other hikers immediately and unmistakably.

The weather in the mountains can change within a very short time. That's why it's so important not only to find out about the local weather in advance, but also to take a look at the sky every now and then during the hike. A light drizzle can be survived in most cases with a rain jacket and good shoes, but an approaching thunderstorm should always be a reason to abort your hike. Even if you don't make it down to the valley before the storm starts, it's still better to get caught in the rain on a familiar trail than in unfamiliar terrain.

No matter how exactly you take it with the safety on the mountain, accidents can never be excluded one hundred percent. That's why it's essential to know in advance how best to behave in an emergency. Forewarned is forearmed! The first step in the right direction is to pack a complete emergency first-aid kit. This should definitely include disposable gloves, disinfectant, band-aids and dressings, and a space blanket. Also useful are pain pills, wound ointment and possibly additional bandages for fixation and stabilization.

If it is not possible for you to manage the descent under your own power, or a member of your group is not fit for transport, you can reach the Mountain Rescue Tyrol 365 days a year, 24 hours a day on the Alpine emergency number 140. The Mountain Rescue has years of experience, professional training and continuously participates in training - so you are always in the best hands.

To put it simply, everything you take on your hike comes home with you. This applies to packaging materials such as plastic bags, muesli bar wrappers and beverage cans, as well as organic waste such as food scraps, banana peels or apple cores. This may sound exaggerated at first glance, but it is an important rule for treating our environment with respect. Because if every hiker who stops at a rest stop simply throws their garbage behind them into the forest, it quickly adds up. We therefore ask you to pack your snack in reusable lunch boxes and make sure to collect all leftovers after the break. This way, even the hundredth visitor can still enjoy the beautiful nature undisturbed.

When you encounter wildlife on your hike in the mountains, it is, of course, a very special experience. However, there are a few simple rules you should follow to ensure that the encounter is safe and positive for everyone:

More often than the shy wild animals, however, you will encounter grazing animals such as cows, sheep, goats or horses on alpine pastures. Similar principles apply here:

Hiking with your four-legged friend is a wonderful experience for many. Nevertheless, it is also important to be considerate of other hikers as well as wild and grazing animals. In early summer, when wild animals have their young, dogs must be kept on a leash when hiking to avoid accidents. Dogs also must remain on a short leash when crossing pastures. Always keep in mind the behavior of the grazing animals. In an emergency situation, unleash the dog or let go of the leash - the dog is fast enough to escape an attack and you have the opportunity to calmly and slowly move out of the danger zone. Please remember: Your own safety comes first!