What is the current legal situation for guided tours in Germany (as of February 15, 2021)?
Unfortunately, guided mountain tours and tours are not allowed in Germany until at least March 7th, 2021. The resumption is possible from March 8th, 2021 at the earliest, depending on the political decisions and the development of the infection situation.
Courses and tours in Austria are immediately resumed by the Garmisch Alpine School, regardless of travel warnings, if entry and exit is possible without quarantine requirements.

What happens if my course has to be canceled due to Corona?
If a course or a tour is canceled by us for corona-related reasons, each participant receives the following two options:
1. Rescheduling to a later course date OR
2. To cancel the tour and get 100% of the purchase price back.

What happens if I get infected with Corona shortly before a course?
If you are infected with Corona or there is a high probability that you will be positive, we ask for your understanding that unfortunately participation in the course is not possible.
Up to 24 hours before the start of the course, you have the option of canceling the course or the tour free of charge after submitting a positive Corona test. If this is less than 24 hours, 100% of the price will unfortunately be charged as cancellation costs. In this case, too, we will try to find an accommodating solution for you.
What happens with courses and guided tours that take place in a country in which a quarantine must be observed upon entry?
Such courses and tours are canceled by us and every participant has the options
1. to rebook to a later course date OR
2. To cancel the tour and get 100% of the purchase price back.

What happens if I have to be quarantined shortly before a course because I am contact person 1?
Up to 24 hours before the start of the course, you have the option of canceling the course or the guided tour free of charge after submitting proof from the health department that you are contact person 1 and must be in quarantine. If this is less than 24 hours, 100% of the price will unfortunately be charged as cancellation costs. In this case, too, we will try to find an accommodating solution for you.
How does the Garmisch Alpine School itself assess the likelihood that courses will take place in winter 20/21 and summer 2021?
Winter 20/21
From our point of view, the probability that ice climbing courses can still take place this winter is relatively low. The reason for this is that guided tours are currently prohibited by law until March 7th, 2021. Since experience shows that there is no longer any ice for ice climbing in Germany in March, the courses cannot take place in Germany. In addition, the situation with regard to border crossings to Austria is worsening, so we do not assume that quarantine-free travel to Austria will be possible in March.
The likelihood of ski touring courses and LVS courses being carried out depends solely on the further infection process and the resulting political decisions. We very much hope that we can still offer courses here from mid-March.
Summer 2021
In the summer of 2020, almost all courses and guided tours could take place due to our well thought-out hygiene concept. There was not a single known corona case or infection during the tours.
Based on this experience, we currently assume that guided tours will also be possible again in summer 2021.

Should one generally forego guided tours or courses due to the Corona?
Life goes on with Corona too. Mountain tours take place in the fresh air in small groups. The risk of infection on a mountain tour is certainly many times lower than in many situations in which we find ourselves every day, e.g. when shopping. Not only because we are a provider of alpine courses and tours, we still think it makes perfect sense for body and mind to continue to exercise in the great outdoors and in the mountains and to pursue the most beautiful hobby in the world there.

What is the current legal situation for guided tours in Germany (as of February 15, 2021)?
Unfortunately, guided mountain tours and tours are not allowed in Germany until at least March 7th, 2021. The resumption is possible from March 8th, 2021 at the earliest, depending on the political decisions and the development of the infection situation.
Courses and tours in Austria are immediately resumed by the Garmisch Alpine School, regardless of travel warnings, if entry and exit is possible without quarantine requirements.

What happens if my course has to be canceled due to Corona?
If a course or a tour is canceled by us for corona-related reasons, each participant receives the following two options:
1. Rescheduling to a later course date OR
2. To cancel the tour and get 100% of the purchase price back.

What happens if I get infected with Corona shortly before a course?
If you are infected with Corona or there is a high probability that you will be positive, we ask for your understanding that unfortunately participation in the course is not possible.
Up to 24 hours before the start of the course, you have the option of canceling the course or the tour free of charge after submitting a positive Corona test. If this is less than 24 hours, 100% of the price will unfortunately be charged as cancellation costs. In this case, too, we will try to find an accommodating solution for you.
What happens with courses and guided tours that take place in a country in which a quarantine must be observed upon entry?
Such courses and tours are canceled by us and every participant has the options
1. to rebook to a later course date OR
2. To cancel the tour and get 100% of the purchase price back.

What happens if I have to be quarantined shortly before a course because I am contact person 1?
Up to 24 hours before the start of the course, you have the option of canceling the course or the guided tour free of charge after submitting proof from the health department that you are contact person 1 and must be in quarantine. If this is less than 24 hours, 100% of the price will unfortunately be charged as cancellation costs. In this case, too, we will try to find an accommodating solution for you.
How does the Garmisch Alpine School itself assess the likelihood that courses will take place in winter 20/21 and summer 2021?
Winter 20/21
From our point of view, the probability that ice climbing courses can still take place this winter is relatively low. The reason for this is that guided tours are currently prohibited by law until March 7th, 2021. Since experience shows that there is no longer any ice for ice climbing in Germany in March, the courses cannot take place in Germany. In addition, the situation with regard to border crossings to Austria is worsening, so we do not assume that quarantine-free travel to Austria will be possible in March.
The likelihood of ski touring courses and LVS courses being carried out depends solely on the further infection process and the resulting political decisions. We very much hope that we can still offer courses here from mid-March.
Summer 2021
In the summer of 2020, almost all courses and guided tours could take place due to our well thought-out hygiene concept. There was not a single known corona case or infection during the tours.
Based on this experience, we currently assume that guided tours will also be possible again in summer 2021.

Should one generally forego guided tours or courses due to the Corona?
Life goes on with Corona too. Mountain tours take place in the fresh air in small groups. The risk of infection on a mountain tour is certainly many times lower than in many situations in which we find ourselves every day, e.g. when shopping. Not only because we are a provider of alpine courses and tours, we still think it makes perfect sense for body and mind to continue to exercise in the great outdoors and in the mountains and to pursue the most beautiful hobby in the world there.