According to German-language site Die Bergrettung Obertraun (via Google Translate), the tragic events of 1954 began with a larger group of students traveling to the region of Salzkammergut on a field trip on Palm Sunday, of all poignant days. Some students wanted to go on a hike to the area of Krippenstein, and come Maundy Thursday a group of three teachers set out at 6:00 a.m. from Obertraun Federal Sports School with 10 students, all aged 14 to 16. Though the weather was nice at the time, it started raining by 9:30 a.m. Forecasts weren’t good, and the school’s director had warned them to call off the hike before they set out. When the group reached a checkpoint at Schönbergalm, they were warned again to turn around. Once again, they ignored advice.
The weather worsened as the group proceeded further along the trail. Fog swept in, visibility shrank, temperatures plummeted, and rain turned to snow. The group came across workers building the region’s cable car, and these workers once again advised the group to turn around. This was the third and last time that such advice was ignored. By night the group hadn’t returned, and rescue operations began shortly thereafter. The weather was so bad, and navigating the region so confusing, that even the rescue workers got lost and had to stay indoors overnight. While it’s possible that the rescue workers could have found the lost group before they died, the group’s lack of proper protective clothing made their chances of survival minimal.
