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Hiking on Wiff's trails
Over 400 kilometres of hiking trails are waiting to be explored in Saalfelden Leogang. Every single one is extremely well maintained, and behind this are men like Wilfried “Wiff” Lederer. For the past 17 years, this friendly man in his mid-fifties has been looking after the maintenance of the hiking trails in the region.
Orientation and safety
‘As soon as the snow has melted, I start walking the trails. It’s usually the case that I’m already out and about on the south-facing paths whilst guests are still skiing on the north-facing slopes,’ says Wiff. Equipped with a tool belt, he sets off to inspect the condition of the trails after the winter. The first thing he does is check whether the key safety measures and signage are still intact: “People need to be able to find their way around and, above all, safety must be guaranteed. Those are the most important things to do right at the start. Whilst doing this, you also see if anything else is damaged and what else needs doing.” Wiff sorts out minor issues straight away, whilst he carries out larger jobs together with his colleagues from the maintenance depot.
Hiking tours with the power saw
He usually knows as early as the previous autumn just how much work awaits him in the spring: “When everything’s still standing, when the trees are still in leaf and the first snow falls, everything snaps and ends up strewn all over the place,” he explains. “There have been seasons when I’ve spent days wandering about with my chainsaw, clearing all the paths of broken branches and fallen trees.” His many years of experience really come in handy here: Wiff can often anticipate many tasks in advance and makes sure he has everything he needs to repair the damage straight away. In a job where you cover most of the journey to work on foot and sometimes have to carry heavy tools, this is an advantage that shouldn’t be underestimated: “These days I get a lot of jobs done in one go, whereas I used to have to run back and forth three times,” laughs the qualified machine mechanic. It doesn’t bother Wiff that hikers usually don’t really notice his work – but take it for granted. “Hardly anyone realises that a great deal of work goes into it. But that’s just the way it is. I’m very happy with my job; it suits me just fine.” Wiff sees the fact that reports are regularly brought to his attention, for example about missing signage or a broken bench, as a positive thing rather than criticism: “Then I know about it and can sort it out.”
Peace and quiet instead of hustle and bustle
Of course, it hasn’t escaped Wiff’s notice that more and more people are out and about on ‘his’ trails. His explanation for this sounds logical: “Nature and the silence are a wonderful contrast to all the hustle and bustle that many people otherwise experience in their everyday lives. When you’re hiking, you just set off, and there’s nothing there. Just nature.” By the way: anyone who thinks that someone who hikes for a living week in, week out is more likely to put their feet up at the weekend is mistaken. At least in Wiff’s case. He also gets out and about a lot in his spare time with his dog, though usually on trails that aren’t so well known. Compared to other walkers, however, he has one slight disadvantage: “Of course, I can’t completely switch off from work, because I keep noticing things,” he laughs. “But I just make a mental note of them. I don’t do any repairs at the weekend, you see.”
