Four years later, a young couple—Maria Maioni (Leni Riefenstahl) and her fiancé Hans Brandt (Ernst Petersen)—arrive at the Diavolezza-Hütte (2977 m) preparing to climb Piz Palü. Recently engaged and very much in love, the couple settle in to their remote mountain hut. Their friend, Udet, piloting a biplane, uses a small parachute to deliver a bottle of champagne to the couple. While paging through the Diavolezza-Hütte log, Maria notices an entry for 6 October 1925 written by Dr. Johannes Krafft. The entry notes that Maria Krafft died by accident in the Piz Palü glacier. Just then, Krafft arrives at the mountain hut on one of his solitary excursions. Maria offers the lonely man tea, and soon the three become acquainted.