Zugspitze: Austrian police investigate man for leaving teen on mountain

Austrian police have launched an investigation into a 21-year-old German man accused of leaving his 17-year-old female companion alone on the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, during a night climb.

The pair departed from Ehrwald, Austria, around 1:30 a.m. on November 1, intending to witness the sunrise. Upon reaching an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters, they encountered extreme weather conditions, including heavy snow and temperatures dropping to -12C. While the teenager reportedly lost strength in the knee-deep snow, the man descended the mountain alone.

The teenager managed to call for emergency services and was rescued by seven members of the Ehrwald mountain rescue team. She was airlifted by helicopter and transported to a hospital in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, where she was treated for hypothermia and subsequently released.

Authorities are investigating whether the separation was a mutual decision or if the man intentionally endangered the minor. Under Austrian law, endangering another person’s physical safety can carry a prison sentence of up to three months. The case has drawn comparisons to a fatal incident on the Grossglockner in early 2025, where a woman froze to death after being left by her partner.