Mountain Echoes: The Patscherkofel becomes inclusive

Inclusion - a word that is often used, but rarely really lived. Hannah Tauscher and her team from Mountain Echos are doing things differently: on Sunday, October 12, 2025, the Patscherkofel into a place of encounter. An event that brings people with and without visual impairments together - and shows how the Tyrolean mountains can be experienced intensively even when blind.

The idea behind Mountain Echos

Hannah Tauscher is a part-time student of Sport, Culture & Event Management at the FH Kufstein. As part of her Master's degree, it is compulsory to complete a practical project - for Hannah, it was immediately clear that she wanted to create something with a real impact. The idea for Mountain Echos came to her when she visited the European Outdoor Film festival and saw a film about the blind mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer: "I immediately got goosebumps and the idea for Mountain Echos came to me at that moment." Thought, done - Hannah developed a concept, pitched it at the FH Kufstein and today the project close to her heart is about to be realized.

True accessibility

Hannah and I meet in the office of Empatic – The Human Experience Company in Innsbruck's old town, with a view of the Nordkette. She points to the mountains, which are once again at their most beautiful: a bright blue sky, bathed in sunlight - simply beautiful. "I love the mountains. And I asked myself: how can people who don't see like us experience the mountains?"

One barrier that often makes it difficult to take part in many events is money. That's why it was particularly important to Hannah and her team that Mountain Echos is free and accessible to everyone. The Patscherkofel is the main sponsor and provides the entire location. The ascent and descent with Patscherkofelbahn costs just €10 for participants.

Strong partners for a strong project

Without the support of numerous sponsors, an event like Mountain Echos could not be realized - and certainly not free of charge. So a big thank you at this point! But at least as important as financial support is the expertise of specialists and those affected. From the very beginning, Mountain Echos was planned in close cooperation with experts - from the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired to the accessible website of CBRA and support from Wolfgang Grünzweig, the City of Innsbruck's representative for the disabled. Among other things, this resulted in detailed, barrier-free directions from the bus stop to the mountain station of Patscherkofels.

What accessibility really means

"As an unaffected person, there are many things you don't even think about. For example, how important a quiet room is. If you can't see and have to rely so heavily on your other senses, it can be very stressful - especially at an event with lots of people," explains Hannah. Hygiene also plays a major role. Of course, everyone pays attention to cleanliness, but when you feel things with your hands in particular, it's even more crucial. Equally important: a direct escort from the bus stop to the Patscherkofel cable car. All of this - and much more - only really became apparent in discussions with experts.

A change of senses - a new experience

The Mountain Echos team has put together a varied program - there is something for everyone: whether blind, visually impaired or sighted; whether you come alone or with your family; whether sporty, relaxing or informative. There are workshops that are deliberately designed for everyone. In yoga, for example, you can practise with a blindfold and experience the movement in a completely different way - the same applies to dancing. The program also includes a first aid course and performances by blind singer Sofia Reyna.

Together to the summit

The guided hikes to the summit of Patscherkofel are a particular highlight. Here, too, it was important to Hannah to design them individually. "Sighted people can wear simulated glasses," she explains, "and it's absolutely no problem if you only want to hike part of the way. Everyone is different and we take that into account."

Fun for the whole family

In addition to the workshops, there will also be open stations throughout the day. Visitors can look forward to a barefoot trail, a nature painting made from natural materials and a "taboo corner", which offers space for open exchange and discussion. Younger guests are also catered for: there is a supervised children's program for them. They can create tactile pictures, complete a mini course with blindfolds or build musical instruments from natural materials.

A heart project with a future

We can therefore look forward to an exciting day with great program points and lively discussions. For Hannah, Mountain Echos is a project close to her heart - and she doesn't want it to remain a one-off event. "My wish is to continue Mountain Echos in the coming years - also in other variations and formats that really drive inclusion forward."

Information on

• Where: Patscherkofel near Innsbruck
• Directions: here
• Accessibility: here
• When: October 12, 2025 - Mountain Echos takes place throughout the day - you can drop by at any time and take part in a modular way
• Costs: Participation free of charge, ascent and descent with the Patscherkofel cable car € 10.00 (only with registration)
• Homepage: Mountain Echos
• Instagram: Mountain Echos
• Registration: Be sure to register in advance - this is the only way to get the discounted ticket and the team can plan better.

Cover picture: © Innsbruck Tourismus / Eye5 - Jonas Schwarzwälder