Andi Köberle fights his way through the snow. With every step, the 63-year-old sinks to the waist, even his snowshoes can not prevent that. For half an hour, he stomps up the slope, scratching the red warning sign as he passes by, "Passage closed due to avalanche danger," passes over twisted spruce trees, passes over snow masses that have left the day before. Then he finally reached the right place.
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Andi Köberle: Up to the green
"Here we can dig," says Köberle. Even in the middle of winter, he is tanned, so often he is out and about. At least three times a week Köberle goes on a ski tour, right from his front door in the village of Burgberg, he then makes his way to Grünten. The locals call the mountain the "guard of the Allgäu", it stands out prominently from the hills of the surrounding countryside.
At the moment there is a state of emergency in Köberle's homeland, skiing is out of the question. In Balderschwang, only a few kilometers away from the crow flies, an avalanche hit a hotel the day before. The snow pushed windows, luckily no one was injured - the hit wellness area of the hotel had been closed as a precaution. Throughout the Allgäu, the second highest avalanche warning level still applies. "Everything about it would be absolute chaos," says Köberle.
DPA
Met hotel in Balderschwang
Even so, the situation is serious. How serious that wants to find the volunteer avalanche officer Köberle today using a so-called snow profile. That's why he ran from his village to the foot of his favorite hill, "On the Giant." The wind whirls up the snow further up the slope, above all lies a muted silence, as if cotton wool had been stuffed into the ears. Köberle unpacks his shovel and begins to dig.
The snow is even higher than in the village, over one meter of fresh snow has been up here within the past few days. "It's an extraordinary situation these days," says Köberle. In his childhood, there were often winters with similar snow masses. "Of course we went to school anyway."
"Many underestimate the danger"
Köberle was born in Burgberg, because his mother could not have made it to the nearest hospital: there was too much snow. But that was a long time ago, today people are no longer used to such winters. "Many underestimate the danger that comes from the avalanches here in the mountains."
Meanwhile, Köberle has shoveled to the bottom of the slope, soil and grass come to light. The snow wall in front of him rises two meters. Carefully he taps her from top to bottom with his right hand. So he can feel the different layers - and find out where the snowpack has weak spots.
"Here, for example, there is suddenly a soft layer between the hard old snow", says Köberle and sinks his fingers in the lower part of the wall. "This is sleet, works like a ball bearing for the overlying layers." The ideal conditions for an avalanche.
To make sure he's right, Köberle continues digging into the wall until he finishes a free-standing snow tower.
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Andi Köberle: The top layer slips off
And indeed: When he lightly taps his blade against the side of the tower, the upper layer of snow slips off. Köberle knocks again, and another layer dissolves. "Exactly as I had thought, so the whole slope would leave if there is an avalanche up there," says Köberle. For him, the thing is clear: The slope remains locked, any departure could be deadly.
But the experienced tour guide also knows: Not everyone will stick to his warning. Again and again, skiers move on closed slopes or despite avalanche warning in open terrain - as last Sunday in the Austrian Lech. Four Germans were killed, they were experienced and even equipped with airbags.
"Of course I have great sympathy for these people," says Köberle. Partly he could understand their levity. "Winters are getting shorter and shorter, and as soon as it starts to snow, people feel they need to get on the slopes right away so they can not miss anything."
Köberle himself would never take such a risk. "I love skiing above all else, but I do not want to risk my life for that." My advice to all: stay home! "
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Notes on the mountain
In many ski areas in Bavaria, the lifts were down on Monday. In Germany's highest ski resort on the Zugspitze, the facilities remained closed; In the other ski areas near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, skiers were only able to make their turns in low altitudes. On Tuesday, the precipitation is gradually subsided, from Wednesday, it is said from the Bavarian State Chancellery, a significant relaxation is possible.