German family rescued after seven‑hour ordeal on Austria’s Krippenstein

On the afternoon of 27 July, a five‑person German tourist family became lost on the Krippenstein (2,108 m) in Upper Austria. The 35‑year‑old parents, their two daughters aged 3 and 6, and their 8‑year‑old son had taken the Krippensteinbahn to the valley station and then attempted the more demanding “Trägerweg” trail toward the Simonyhütte. Poor weather, strong winds and rain forced the cloud cover down, and the family spent several hours circling before finding the correct fork.

After about seven hours the family signaled the hut keeper, who activated the rescue chain at 16:30. Two rescue helicopters were dispatched; the two younger girls showed clear signs of hypothermia. All five members were air‑lifted to safety.

The rescue was coordinated by Austrian police and mountain rescue services, and both German and Austrian authorities were informed.