Urgent.News

What's breaking now, across thousands of outlets.

Culture

Experte vom Alpenverein: Bergtour planen: „Auf alte Karten kein Verlass“

Der Klimawandel verändert Routen in den Bergen. Wie Wanderer ihre Tour sicher planen und warum es gerade im hochalpinen Bereich aktuelle Karten lebenswichtig sind.

Experte vom Alpenverein: Bergtour planen: „Auf alte Karten kein Verlass“

Heavy rainfall and severe storms heighten the necessity for hikers to verify the feasibility of their planned mountain trek. Thomas Wanner, a representative of the German Alpine Association, warns that trails may become inundated or entire slopes may have eroded significantly. In such cases, it is unwise to solely rely on the trail map, but rather to consult local tourism offices or mountain guiding associations to confirm if the path is open.

Even innkeepers frequently possess vital information. Wanner notes that extreme weather events are increasingly common, and thus, routes may be temporarily closed due to safety concerns. Climate change also plays a role, with some trails that were once traversable now being impassable. This is often due to the substantial retreat of glaciers, leaving behind gaps that were once passable.

Therefore, when planning a high-altitude excursion, it is advisable to consult an up-to-date map rather than relying solely on outdated ones. Even seemingly recent digital maps should be scrutinized for their origins; many are based on personal experiences rather than the impartial assessment of professional mountain guides and local experts who regularly inspect the paths.

Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Read the original at handelsblatt.com →

More in Culture

More from Friday 18 September →