you know the drift region, both like the back of their bag: The geologist Ueli Gruner observed the development up there for many years. And within kirchler parish President Walter Brog, as a former long-standing head of the Hut of the SAC trift hut has been built ten years ago with his company at all the popular suspension bridge.

the two of you are of the same opinion: “What is the happens to be well-equipped hiker ten days ago, is simply out of luck. The woman was now really in the wrong Moment at the wrong place.”

Permafrost is not an issue

The 50 cubic metres of large rock fall from an height of 40 meters on to the trift hüttenweg, the 45-year-old solo thurnerin on the Morning of the 31. August in the death of crack, has to do, contrary to widespread opinion nothing to do with the process of thawing Permafrost to: “Below approximately 2500 meters above sea level in the Permafrost is not an issue – certainly not to South exposed locations”, explains Ueli Gruner.

The experienced geologist, cited statistics of the Canton of Berne, from the year 2014, according to which approximately 15’000 recorded natural hazard events in the Canton of Bern, less than a hundred such on the thawing Permafrost are due.

A year, millions of process

What other circumstances may have triggered the fatal rock fall? On 1800 meters above the sea-standing rock walls between the trift bridge and Drosibachsteg be illuminated when the weather is fine the whole day from the sun. “Tectonic influences result in a millions of years long process, to a weakening of the rock.

In recent times, especially weather-weaknesses then conditional influences such as freeze-thaw cycles, freezing water, but also normal temperature fluctuations in the Rock. The latter can lead, for example, in the heat of a summer day to an expansion of the Felses to a few hundredths of a millimeter, which, at night, pulls together again. At some point, this destabilization then leads to the crash.”

the trigger for this may have been the case even stronger rains last August Trift, possibly, or maybe the weak rain two days before the accident. Water can be penetrated into the open gap behind the rock plate, and there is a water pressure or a sliding function built. “Suddenly and without notice can no longer hold the masses of rock, and plunge,” explains Gruner.

A similar incident like the one at the Trift occurred on 20. August of last year, only eight kilometres further to the South over the Gelmersee. Six hikers were injured on the way to the SAC-gelmer hut by a 150 cubic metres of large rock fall; only with very lucky there were no deaths to.

Here is the cause of the crash is known: The heavy rains of the previous days and the low temperatures were the water in the separation gap freezing, then the Ice pushed the rock apart and destabilized, which then led to the crash of the rock masses.

In the mountains, A natural event can happen at any time. Photo: Keystone

Ueli Gruner know “that such rockfalls can happen at any time anywhere, where it has steep rock walls. The mountains are constantly in motion. Through movement you created, Yes, in front of dozens of millions of years.”

liability issue

The cantonal structure plan, white-Halden blue-and-white-marked Alpine Hiking trails, partly over snow-fields, glaciers, scree and Rocky with short climbs and partly pathless are.

structural measures cannot be provided, and your user must be sure-footed, have a head for heights, and in very good physical condition, as well as dangers in the mountains, know very well. The appropriate equipment is also vital.

“The problem with the Sheep trail to the hut is that it has been brought in the indicative plan of action, and not fixed,” says Walter Brog. The municipality of Innertkirchen, with the nine, on their territory, the SAC-huts reached the oral agreement that rehabilitation issues be addressed together, for the ordinary maintenance of huts and boarding but the relevant section is as a cottage owner is responsible.

“On a white-blue-white marked Alpine trail, one must assume that the user that at any time a natural event happens.”Walter Brog

“This has nothing to do with the responsibility. On a white-blue-white-marked Alpine path, the user must assume that any time a natural event happens.” Brog buck sometimes the neck hair, when he sees, “what kind of faulty equipment, the people today in the mountains. The are not aware of what site you are staying there.”

And the law

says The person in charge of a circle chief engineer Markus Wyss is even closer to the above-mentioned plan, the so-called main and complementary routes specifies: “The routes are subject to the provisions of the road law and the foot – and-trail legislation.

According to the this is for in the sectoral plan for a fixed Route in the municipality for the construction and maintenance responsible, on whose territory the Route. The trail to the hut to the SAC non-trift cottage is set in the property plan, why not the municipality is responsible, but the Creator of the cabin Board.”

a guide from the Federal government and the Canton of run but also what the needs of the users of such Alpine trail must meet. The Climbers of Alpine Hiking trails have to be prepared for natural hazards.

Here the constructor of the path is not obliged to risk planning, not for the preventive Monitoring or to periodic measures of protection.

In the case of extraordinary events, in the assessment of subsequent risks or if dangerous developments are detected, however, must be appropriate hazard warnings or even closures attached. Markus Wyss: “A key point in the committing of an Alpine trail to the very high self-responsibility of the user.

The authority has only a small responsibility, because it is of such paths lies in the nature, that lead you through a terrain in which, at any time, with events to be expected. It would not be possible to guarantee a high level of security.”

Created: 12.09.2019, 13:52 PM