Two German brothers, aged 13 and 16, were rescued from a mountain in South Tyrol after their parents turned back during a hike and left them to continue alone towards a mountain hut that had already closed for the season.
The teenagers found themselves stranded in freezing conditions outside the locked Bonnerhütte, more than 2,300 metres above sea level, with no shelter available. Mountain rescuers were eventually called out in the middle of the night to bring them to safety.
The family had set out together on a hike in Toblach, in northern Italy’s South Tyrol region. After walking for several hours, the parents decided to return while allowing their sons to continue towards the mountain refuge. They reportedly believed the boys were experienced enough to manage the remaining journey and spend the night at the hut.
However, the plan depended on an important detail that had not been checked in advance: whether the refuge was still open.
The Bonnerhütte, a traditional mountain hut built in 1897 by the Bonn section of the Alpine Club, had closed for the season a week earlier. When the brothers reached the destination, they discovered that they could not get inside and had nowhere to shelter from the cold.
By the time an emergency call was made at around 1 a.m., the teenagers had climbed more than 1,000 metres in altitude and were facing a potentially dangerous night in the mountains.
Members of the Pustertal mountain rescue service responded to the emergency and brought both boys down to safety. The brothers were taken to hospital for treatment.
According to the rescue service, the teenagers were inadequately dressed for the conditions and suffering from severe hypothermia. One of the boys was also vomiting. Both have since been discharged from hospital.
The rescuers described the incident as a case of “great carelessness”, stressing the risks of setting out on a mountain journey without confirming that accommodation is available and leaving young hikers to continue without adequate preparation. They also noted that such irresponsible behaviour is fortunately rare.
The incident highlights the dangers of underestimating mountain conditions, particularly at high altitudes and during the colder months. A route that appears manageable in daylight can become hazardous after dark, especially when temperatures fall and a planned overnight stop is unavailable.
Mountain refuges also operate according to seasonal schedules, meaning hikers cannot assume that a hut will be open simply because it appears on a route or map. Checking opening dates, weather conditions, equipment requirements and emergency options before departure is essential, particularly when children or teenagers are involved.
The episode has an unsettling resemblance to “Hansel and Gretel”, the Brothers Grimm fairy tale first published in 1812, in which two children are abandoned by their parents in a forest. In South Tyrol, the setting was not a dark woodland but a remote mountain landscape, where two brothers were left to face the cold outside a locked refuge.
The real-life incident ended with both teenagers rescued and later discharged from hospital. However, the circumstances serve as a stark reminder that poor planning in the mountains can quickly turn a family outing into a life-threatening emergency.
