Overview
- The Bergwacht’s annual balance lists 47 mountain-bike deployments, a new high, and 152 hiking rescues as the largest category, with summer activity back to pre-pandemic levels.
- Pure climbing incidents totaled 20 statewide, slightly lower than last year, yet injury severity rose and several falls proved fatal.
- Volunteers recorded more than 25,000 deployment hours this year, highlighting sustained strain on largely unpaid crews.
- The service is gearing up for winter, conducting a ski-lift evacuation drill in Eibenstock and cautioning that sledding risks are often underestimated.
- Rescuers urged better preparation and gear, including first-aid kits, powerbanks and helmets for sledding, as Tourism Minister Barbara Klepsch tied support for the Bergwacht to Saxony’s year-round tourism plan.