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GPS Misroute Strands Hessian Tourist on Kampenwand Ridge

The rescue by Traunstein police underscores the hazards of following consumer navigation through unpaved mountain roads

Overview

  • The 47-year-old tourist from Hesse entered her Aschau destination into a consumer navigation device and relied on its instructions over local signage.
  • The GPS routed her over the 1,669-meter Kampenwand ridge onto a forest road where after roughly five kilometers her car became immobilized in rugged terrain.
  • The stranded driver and her three passengers placed an emergency call and Traunstein police escorted them back down to Schleching.
  • From Schleching, the group completed the roughly 23-kilometer drive to Aschau via the federal road circumventing the mountain.
  • No injuries were reported and authorities attributed the mishap to overreliance on navigation systems in rural alpine areas.