The pre-trip check: weather, plan, gear, phone

The pre-trip check builds several safeguards one after the other. The forecast stops you walking into a thunderstorm or gale. The turnaround time makes sure you are back before dark. The gear helps if something happens anyway. And the person at home is the last safeguard: they raise the alarm when you can no longer do it yourself.

This last safeguard is especially important. Anyone who has an accident alone without reception cannot rescue themselves. But if someone knows which route you are taking and when you meant to be back, the search starts early and in the right place. Search teams can then concentrate on a small area instead of a whole mountain range.

The fixed alarm time makes the plan reliable. “If I have not been in touch by 8 pm and cannot be reached, call 112” is a clear instruction. Without it the contact often waits too long because they do not know whether a delay is normal.

Read the national weather service forecast the evening before and again in the morning, for example from the German Weather Service (DWD) or GeoSphere Austria. Do not just look at sun or rain but at thunderstorms, wind, temperature at altitude and warnings. In summer, thunderstorms in the mountains often form in the afternoon – setting off early helps.

Plan the route on the map and estimate the walking time generously. Set a turnaround time and check when the sun sets; in winter it is often dark by late afternoon. Think of a shorter alternative route in case the weather turns or someone gets tired.

Fully charge phone and power bank and download the map of the area for offline use. Test in airplane mode whether it really displays. Find out where you can read your coordinates in your app – in an emergency you may have to give them to the control centre.

In the winter mountains the avalanche bulletin decides. The European avalanche warning services use a common scale from 1 (low) to 5 (very high) and describe on which slopes and at which altitudes there is danger. Without avalanche training, equipment and experience, stay on cleared, secured paths and pistes – regardless of the danger level.

A plan only helps if you stick to it. Thunderclouds, fog, exhaustion or reaching the turnaround time are reasons to turn back – even just short of the summit. Most serious mistakes happen because someone carries on “just a little further”.

If you will be late but are safe, report to your contact immediately. Otherwise a search starts for nothing, and rescuers may be missing elsewhere. Conversely, the contact really does call 112 at the agreed alarm time and passes on the trip plan – better once too early than too late.

The check is worthwhile before every trip into nature – especially alone, in the mountains, in winter, on the water or in unfamiliar terrain. For a short loop in the town forest a short version is often enough: look at the weather, phone charged, tell someone you are out.

For glacier tours, ski tours and trips in avalanche terrain this check does not replace training. There you need knowledge of avalanche science, glacier or rope technique, which is learned in courses, for example with the Alpine clubs.

If you realise you are overdue because you are lost or injured: stop, calm down, call 112 and stay at a safe, clearly visible place. Save your battery – screen dark, switch on only when needed – and signal with whistle or light. Anyone who stays in one place is found faster.

A trip plan can be very simple: a note or message with route, alternative route, participants, car and number plate, planned return and alarm time. On hut trips an entry in the hut book also helps. And after the trip do not forget: report briefly that everyone is back.