It started with the school. It ended with the mountain. This year's participants of the PATRIZIA Bavarian Peaks Challenge finished their two-day, 30 km mountain trek in the Bavarian Alps. But not only the hike was a challenge: they collected 126,000€ for the PATRIZIA Primary School in Songea in southern Tanzania in a period of two months. With this great result, the school can be financed and further urgently needed renovation work can be started.
A lost englishman
From Sunday to Wednesday, 44 PATRIZIAns and sponsors faced the freezing temperatures of the Bavarian foothills of the Alps. Seven PATRIZIA office locations joined the campaign: Augsburg, London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Luxembourg and Munich. Not only did they have to cope with temperatures that are unusual cold for September, but also one suitcase and one englishman got lost. Luckily, the Englishman tuned up - but the suitcase in contrast did not.
Finally, with a last briefing on gloves and thermal underwear – in September very unusual - the groups met in Augsburg and at Munich airport to then set off to Bad Feilnbach near Rosenheim further.
After a first evening together with speeches, laughing and the finest Bavarian food, the hikers started early on Monday to climb the Wendelstein. The first stage to the summit at 1800m took the crew from Bad Feilnbach to the Mitteralm, 1300 metres of altitude gain in 5 hours.
With an overnight stay on the alpine pasture, the crew headed for the summit on Tuesday - already knowing that they won't reach the peak, as the route was closed due to the snow. Nevertheless, the group started from the Mitteralm over wide alpine meadows to stony terrain into the snow on the summit. Another 650 metres of altitude – into the snow fields at minus 3 degrees. To prevent knee problems, parts of the group took the cogwheel railway back down to the valley with stunning views of mountains and valleys while others decided to take on another 3 hours of hiking back down to the valley. Finally, after a traditional German dinner with Kässpatz'n and Kalbsbraten it was back to reality on Wednesday.
A big thank you to all the organisers, hikers and fundraisers! This was mastering a challenge by direct definition.
Enthusiasm among the participants
"The cable car won’t bring you down and building my very first snowman is my take on this challenge."
Dianne Meyer
"Wonderful to see my colleagues in a new way and I love Bayern München."
Theresa Kotlicka
"Best part: walking through the snow in September."
Kimberley Cullis
"Our song was ‘I am still standing’, Lukas and Chris finally found each other."
Kimberley Cullis
