Reckless action

Thoughtless thieves endanger mountain hikers

Anyone who does something like this obviously doesn't care much about the fate of their fellow human beings. Unknown persons have stolen important signposts on the Naturfreundesteig trail to the Traunstein. On the very mountain where fatalities regularly occur anyway. Such reckless actions unnecessarily put other hikers and mountaineers in danger of getting lost and possibly falling.

The Naturfreundesteig is considered the most popular and most beautiful path up the 1691-metre-high Traunstein. Trail number 414 leads from the shores of Lake Traunsee via the south-west ridge up to the Traunsteinhaus.

Nature lover's trail on the Traunstein(Bild: Naturfreunde Gmunden)

This year in May, the old metal signposts on this trail were replaced by new aluminum ones. However, these apparently arouse unexpected desires, as two of the signs have now been stolen.

These signs with the number 414 were stolen(Bild: Naturfreunde Gmunden)

Danger of taking a wrong turn
"Something like this really isn't a trivial offense, it puts people at risk," says Martin Schimpl from the Friends of Nature Gmunden. After all, the purpose of the signs is to show mountain hikers the right way and not to hang in some cellar as a souvenir or trophy.

Place (right) where a sign was forcibly broken out of the rock(Bild: Naturfreunde Gmunden)

"If there are suddenly none left, there is a huge risk, especially in fog, that someone will take a wrong turn, get lost and end up in life-threatening terrain."

Appeal to thieves
The 51-year-old therefore urgently appeals to the thieves to reconsider their actions and return the signposts: "After all, it takes money and a lot of voluntary work to install them."

Trail warden Martin Schimpl(Bild: Naturfreunde Gmunden)

The perpetrators probably went to work with a crowbar. "Because we had secured the signs extra well with four dowels."

If the thieves are caught in the act, they will certainly be reported to the police.