Dangerous Alpine crossings - The shepherds unafraid to take risks | DW Documentary

This sheep drive is one of a kind. One over 3,000 meters of elevation gain, braving raging rivers, scree, snow and ice. Along the way they cross a glacier and a national border. It's something special. It's an honor. South Tyrolean shepherds follow a tradition that dates back thousands of years and now enjoys a UNESCO World Heritage designation. It has been done for a long time. Now we're continuing to do it. I'm sure it will continue in the future too. The shepherds have to bring 1,400 sheep along the dangerous route from Italy to Austria. One slip and you're gone. Will everything go well this year? The young South Tyrolean will soon be responsible for 1,400 sheep here on the Utztaler Alm in Austria. The animals are still down in the valley in Italy. The herd is due to arrive the day after tomorrow. Markus will spend the next few months alone, accompanied only by his dog, at an altitude of 2,400 meters. Just like his grandfather before him. I still have to engrave my name on it, but I will. You never know how long you'll be doing this. You also don't know what the future will look like for alpine farming. I'll stay here as long as I can, that's for sure. Markus is paid by 40 sheep farmers to look after their animals in the summer. In winter, he has to find other work. Working as a shepherd is difficult and dangerous with falling rocks, potential slips and lightning strikes. The job is risky, both for the humans and the animals. I like to say the mountain always takes something. Not all of them make it. The next few days will be exhausting for Markus. He has to make sure that the 1,400 sheep arrive safely from South Tyrol to the alpine pastures in Austria's Utztal valley. Down in the valley, at 800 meters above sea level, the animals start moving. Thomas and his colleagues are part of this year's driving team. Over the last few days, the men have rounded up the sheep in the village. A challenging and adventurous route lies ahead of them. Sheep have fallen off the trail repeatedly in recent years. But lush meadows await them on the other side. They've been up in the alpine pastures since April 25th, out here in the valley with us. Because we don't have enough grazing land, they have to go over to the Utztal valley in the summer. Thomas keeps his sheep primarily for his own use and out of a sense of tradition, as do the other herders. He's a plumber by profession. South Tyroleans have been crossing the Alps with their animals for around 6,000 years. It's June, but there is still too much snow on the mountains this year. The shepherds had to postpone the long planned drive. And even now, the weather is causing them concern. There's certainly something happening up there, and I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Up there, the weather changes three times a day. Then, the weather does indeed take a turn for the worse. Wind and snow make the ascent even more difficult. And yet the sheep and men are only at the beginning of their alpine crossing. Every step they take is a risk. At the end of the 1970s, 70 sheep fell to their deaths during a snowstorm. They're standing on a snow-free patch. They no longer want to be in the snow. After three and a half hours, the first and highest destination of the day has been reached. The summit cross at Taschenjuchel, 2,800 meters above sea level. The break is short, the descent almost more strenuous than the ascent. But what the men are doing here is actually more like a hobby these days. No one has been able to make a living from sheep farming here for a long time. But the drive up to the alpine pastures is still important. The sheep keep the environment here in balance. Without them, everything would be overgrown. Farming is a hobby for us. We don't earn anything from it. We all have to work. You can't get anything for wool these days. You get the most for the meat, but it's more or less break-even. You don't earn anything from it. Like Thomas, all of the herders are members of the Sheep and Goat Association. We have plenty of young talent coming through. We're a fairly young team. As you can see, there's a lot of young people. It's going to keep going. Today, the men still have one more hurdle to overcome. When crossing the mountain stream, the herd must not drift apart. To ensure that none of the animals hesitate and then panic, the herders must get them to the other side as quickly as possible. It's primarily just men here. Girlfriends and families only join in shortly before the end of the first stage. Thomas' son Elias had to go to school today, but tomorrow he'll be able to join in and help. We're glad that everything went well and that there were no injuries, including among the herders. And then they finally reach their first stage destination. Kurzrass, a ski resort at an altitude of 2,000 meters. During peak season, there are a lot of tourists here. But right now, the terrain belongs to the sheep. The animals stay in a pen overnight to rest for the next day. It went well, didn't it? Better than expected. Faster than in previous years. Shepherd Markus has also arrived in Kurzrass. Now the stress begins for him, since he's responsible for coordinating the ascent. Tomorrow morning, the journey continues. Up to 2,800 meters. The weather isn't looking good. I think there will be about 20 centimeters of fresh snow. Near the ski resort of Kurzrass, Markus' brother Johann has been in the barn since sunrise. He takes care of the family farm. Unlike the sheep and goats, his cows will not be put out to pasture until later in midsummer. For now, they're still in the barn, producing as much milk as possible. If you want to invest in the farm, you can't just do it with milk production and the few subsidies we get. We wouldn't be able to manage with that. So in the summer, Johann also works as a shepherd, and in the winter, he helps out at the ski resort. Johann and his family can just about make a living from the animals and his side jobs. However, preserving his family's heritage is what's more important to him. Those who come after us should also have something. We try to make sure others can follow after us. That's our contribution. It's important that everyone does something. The cows have been fed, and the milk will be collected shortly. In Kurzrass, Johann's brother Markus has been checking on the sheep since dawn. A lamb was born overnight. The newborn is still too weak to walk up the mountain on its own, so it is being carried, accompanied by its mother. The other sheep seem eager to climb the steep ski slope. Thomas is now being supported by his 12-year-old son Elias. He's doing well. Sheep are his life. This is one of the best days of the year for him. Yeah, it's fun. It snowed heavily again during the night, which is unusual for this time of year. So the men have to take a detour. Today we have to go up the descent through the ski area. The path is closed as there's a risk of avalanche. The smallest lambs were already brought to the alpine pasture yesterday. The journey with the herd is too difficult for them. But even one of the larger lambs needs a push. They're done. They're tired. They just don't want to do it anymore, like children. At 72, Karl is one of the oldest members of the team. But you wouldn't know it. Just live a healthy life and you can do it. Markus's brother Johann has now arrived with his herd of goats. Like most of the others, he's been taking part in the animal drive since he was a little boy. It was done in the past. Now we're continuing to do it. It will certainly continue in the future. That won't change unless there are more wolves, predators that cause problems. If that happens, the traditions will probably die out. And a predator like that can do whatever it wants. It wouldn't make sense. According to estimates, around 80 wolves live in South Tirol. They frequently attack livestock. In 2023, the state had to pay almost 100,000 euros in compensation for the damage caused. And now bears are turning up too. Johann and his colleagues have been lucky so far. They haven't lost any animals yet. The men have now gained 2,800 meters of elevation. They're heading along the glacier. It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the sheep together. Despite their efforts, none of the men can imagine not continuing the tradition. For Karl, the very question is absurd. You do it because that's what you do. You were born that way, with your feet firmly planted on the ground. You have the farm, the property here, you work, you produce food, you have sheep, you have good meat, you sell some of it. It's how you live. Markus has gone ahead and is keeping an eye out for the others from above. Even though he's been doing this since he was a child, this sheep drive, this Transhumanz, is something very special for him every season. This is the only Transhumanz that crosses a glacier and a national border. That sets us apart. It's something special. It's an honor. They have arrived at the Hofenacher on the Hochjoch. The final dangerous spot is the narrow suspension bridge. The men have to make sure that not too many animals cross the narrow footbridge at once and, most importantly, that they keep moving. It's difficult. You need some people to help. And then they make it to the other side, the first green spots of the Ötztal alpine pasture. All the sheep have arrived safely, even the little black lamb. Suddenly, it can even keep up with the herd. The men are tired, but very satisfied. Everything went smoothly today. I thought it would be tougher, but it went better than I expected. With all the snow, we had to deliberate. We didn't know. Is it possible? Is it not possible? I was really thinking about that. It's also rugged terrain. It's not easy. Everyone has to be careful. One slip and you're gone. But in the end, everything went well. Markus has met with more people in this one day than he will in the coming months. Starting tomorrow, he'll be here alone with his dog, 1,400 sheep and a few goats. Markus has been living in the Ötztaler Alm for six weeks now. He's gotten used to life in the hut. The 25-year-old does not feel lonely here. On the contrary. I always like to be alone in the morning, so no one gets on my nerves. That way I can start the day off right. I have my dog with me. That's nice. Markus' cabin has the bare essentials. A gas stove, running water, an extra bed for visitors and electricity. Every morning, the young shepherd enjoys his coffee with his dog and a beautiful view. Then it's time to get started on the first round of checking that all the animals are doing well. Today, Markus also needs to make sure that there is enough salt left. It's an important part of their diet. We need to top it up. There's only a little left in there. At the beginning of the season, a helicopter transports around 1,500 kilograms of salt up the mountain. Markus distributes it to various locations. It's actually just regular table salt. You can use that too. Sodium chloride. It's not toxic. Otherwise, the sheep wouldn't be able to eat it. The area Markus has to monitor in the Uztal Valley covers around 1,000 hectares. He takes a different route every day. Before he started working as a shepherd, he trained as a bricklayer. But his passion lies with animals. You see the little lambs arriving in spring and then being rounded up in autumn. They grow bigger and stronger. The sheep gain weight, their wool grows, and they become much fatter. It's just wonderful to see the animals doing well. Markus's brother Johann is five hours' walk away. He looks after the animals on the Italian side, further down in the Schnellstahl Valley. Unlike his brother, Johann spends his nights at home on the farm. He cannot imagine working anywhere other than in the South Tyrolean countryside. Some people work in offices in the city. I've never tried it. I wouldn't be the right person for it. I wouldn't know how to live that way. When you come up here, you can leave your stress behind. And when you see that the animals are doing well, eating well, what more could you want? Tizi! Ui! Come! Tizi! Ah, that's how you do it. Johann rarely sees his brother in the summer. Today is one of those special days when the two have made plans to meet up. Hi there. Everything under control? Yeah, more or less. Markus and Johann support each other and talk about the sheep and goats. They don't need many words. Johann has to return to the valley. He has a two-hour walk ahead of him. Markus also wants to be back at his cabin before it gets dark. Markus is unfazed by the fact that for most 25-year-olds, the evening is just getting started. He's not so interested in nightlife. I'll make myself something to drink and then something to eat. Then I'll look around a bit. Then I'll slowly get ready for bed. It's September now, and tomorrow the sheep will be driven back down into the valley, to South Tirol. Throughout the summer, the animals have spread out across the mountain. Over the past few days, Markus and his helpers had to gather them all together again. It would be fine to stay longer, but that's just how it is. When the time comes, you have to go with the animals. Markus' brother Johann gathers up the lambs that are still too small to walk the long route down to the valley. Thomas and his son have also been helping out again over the last few days, and Elias is already looking forward to next season. I'll be back again next year. Now the sheep are entering the night pen. They'll stay here until tomorrow morning, and then they will set off. For Markus, the journey back is a tense time. Once again, he's responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly. This is really just the beginning of everything. They haven't arrived home yet. Day breaks. The men have spent the night in a nearby shelter and want to get going quickly. It looks like the weather is going to turn. The sheep can only leave the pen in small groups. This is to prevent too many animals from arriving at the bridge at once. Markus' uncle Hans has been part of the team for almost 60 years, and today he's making sure everything runs smoothly at the bridge. Getting all of them across the bridge is the most important thing. If any fall into the water, they're gone. It only takes one and a half hours to cross the river. The sheep have never moved so fast. Perhaps they sense the change in weather and want to get down into the valley quickly. The sheep run faster and faster, even though the path becomes really steep and difficult again. If one of the animals falls here, it will die. And then the sky closes in with fog, rain and cold wind. But despite the bad weather, many people are waiting in Kurzrass for the animals to arrive. Markus, Thomas and the other drivers just want to get to dry land. After all, they have another day's march ahead of them tomorrow. The weather could be better. Normally, there are many more people here than today, usually more people than sheep. Down in the valley, the sun is shining again the next day. After another eight hours crossing the mountains, the sheep and their herders finally arrive back home. No lambing, no injuries, everything's fine. We'll do the same thing again next year. Cheers! Markus and Johann arrive near the end of the celebration, and the pressure has now lifted from them too. Now all they have to do is settle the accounts. The treasurer has counted carefully. Only two animals died during the season, and all survived the drive down to the valley unharmed. Markus has done a good job. It's a relief, yes. It's great that so few are missing. That's fantastic. Everything went well. Despite all the challenges, this millennia-old tradition of South Tyrolean shepherds has survived another year.