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Tourist sparks anger as he is spotted climbing Germany's highest mountain in sandals


A tourist who was seen climbing to the summit of Germany’s highest mountain in sandals has been branded “stupid” as concerns grow over people heading to the Bavarian Alps without proper equipment.

Viral video footage taken by a mountain guide shows an unidentified tourist scaling the peak in fashionable sandals.

In the footage, the man can be seen waiting to ascend a ladder bolted to a steep rock face in the ridiculous footwear, as he attempted to reach the summit of Zugspitze Mountain.

Reinhold Messner, a veteran climber, told Bild: “It’s just stupid. These people are not real mountaineers. Everyone should be responsible for their own life. If something were to happen, Alpine rescue will be burdened with it.”

At 2,962 metres, the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain, with three cable cars on hand to take tourists to the top where restaurants and seminar rooms await.

It is a popular destination for skiers, mountaineers, tobogganers and hikers.

The video has been viewed over 1.5 million times with the majority of the comments expressing incredulity at the climbers choice of footwear.

The mountain guide, who shot it, said sarcastically: “Germany’s highest Instagram spot. It’s really great how people get out and about. Nothing surprises me anymore.”

The Bavarian mountains can be deadly, with 35 people having already lost their lives according to Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria’s minister for sport.

That is just six fewer than the total death toll for 2023.

Last summer, four sandal-clad Italian tourists had to be rescued by helicopter after getting into trouble in the Dolomites.

The group consisting of two men, two women and a dog climbed to about 2,000m above sea level on the rocky peaks of Monte Rua in the northern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia before appealing for help.

Following the incident, the Italian Alpine Rescue Service took to social media to warn tourists of the dangers of climbing when not adequately prepared or capable.

Taking to Instagram they said: “We’ve had to rescue people wearing sandals and groups who, in the space of a few hours, managed to get lost three times on the same path.”

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