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A harrowing fall into a snow-filled pit in the Giant Mountains in 1900 sparked the creation of the Czech Republic’s Mountain Service, a rescue organization that continues to save lives today.
A Century of Mountain Rescue: From a Lucky Escape to a Modern Service
The Czech Mountain Service, born from a near-tragedy, has evolved from volunteer guides to a highly-trained professional force responding to a surge in mountain incidents.
- The Mountain Service traces its roots to a 1900 skiing incident in the Krkonoše Mountains.
- A tragic event in 1913, remembered as Mountain Service Day, solidified the need for a dedicated rescue organization.
- The service was officially established in 1935, modeled after similar organizations in Austria.
- In the 2024/2025 winter season, the Mountain Service responded to 6,946 interventions, a 57.8 percent increase year-over-year.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Josef Rössler-Ořovský, a co-founder of the Czech Olympic committee and a pioneer in various sports, led a group of four skiers on an evening hike in the Giant Mountains. They set out from Martin’s sheds via Vysoké kolo towards a shed near Sněžné jama.Despite the late hour and challenging weather, they knew the route well. But darkness descended, and the last skier in the group, attempting a shortcut, stumbled to the edge of the Snow Caves.
“The blown snowdrift below him gave way and he fell into darkness,” described Aleš Steklý, a student at the University of Hradec Králové, in a bachelor thesis. His companions, reaching the hut, quickly realized he was missing and launched a search. Miraculously, the skier survived the fall with minor injuries. He managed to dig himself out and, unable to climb back up in the dark, descended to a hut on the Polish side of the Krkonoše Mountains, where he received care before being transported back to the Czech side.
The First Organized Event
This incident is considered the catalyst for the formation of the Mountain Service. Following the near-tragedy, Rössler-Ořovský began advocating for a more organized approach to mountain rescue.He recognized the need for trained personnel and coordinated efforts to respond to accidents in the challenging terrain.
The Mountain Service has continued to evolve, facing new challenges and responding to increasing demands. In the winter season 2024/2025 (December 1 to March 21), the service handled 6,946 interventions across the Czech Republic, a notable 57.8 percent increase compared to the previous year. The Krkonoše Mountains saw the highest number of incidents, with 2,600 trips compared to 1,800 the year before. A especially busy period was from January 31 to February 9, 2025, with exactly one thousand interventions-87 percent more year-on-year.
Tragedy struck again this November in Jeseníky, when forty-two-year-old Roman Fišnar, a veteran member with 1,170 interventions, died in a vehicle accident while responding to a call. A collection has been launched through Donio platforms to support his partner and two sons.
Today, the Mountain Service comprises approximately 120 professional and 370 volunteer members. As René Mašín, the current
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