Avalanche
On Wednesday, December 11, a 27-year-old local skier was caught in an avalanche at the Stubai Glacier, Austria. The 27-year-old was skiing with a 33-year-old Canadian near the “Wildspitz” mountain station. The pair left the groomed runs and skied eastward into steeper off-piste terrain, where they triggered a loose snow avalanche.
- Related: Freeride Guide at Hochfügen Ski Resort, Austria, Seriously Injured by Inbounds Avalanche in Front of Tour Group
The avalanche knocked the Austrian skier off his feet and swept him about 40-50 meters (130-165 feet) down the valley. The Canadian skier managed to avoid the avalanche, skied down to his injured friend, and alerted rescue services. While the Austrian skier was not buried, he had sustained unspecified injuries to his left leg that required an evacuation by helicopter. The 27-year old freerider was taken to nearby hospital.
The Stubai Glacier is Austria’s largest glacier skiing area and is known for its excellent freeride terrain, with 14 dedicated freeride runs and an off-piste map. The groomed run from the top at Wildspitz at 3,210 meters down to the base at Mutterberg 1,750 meters is a staggering 10 km (6.25 miles) and provides a nice thigh burner. The avalanche occurred in an off-piste area of the resort. Stubai has seen 15 inches of snow in the last five days.
