Climbing
A total of six people were struck by an avalanche on Tuesday afternoon, September 17, while hiking to Schödersee, Austria.Three people were buried, of which two suffered minor injuries and one person suffered serious injuries. The three injured hikers were flown to the University Hospital in Salzburg by helicopter, where the latter person succumbed to her injuries in the night. The deceased was identified as a 56-year-old German woman.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m., an avalanche occurred in the area of the hiking trail at an altitude of about 1,300 meters (4,265 feet). Several people were on the hiking trail at that time when the wet snow avalanche slid onto the trail, sweeping six hikers with it.
The mountain rescue Hüttschlag and Großarl teams, as well as the avalanche dogs unit, were alerted. The rescue team was supported by three helicopters. A total of 75 emergency personnel from mountain rescue, helicopter teams, alpine police, Red Cross, and volunteer fire brigades were deployed.
The rescuers found three German citizens partially buried by the snow masses and one 56-year-old German citizen completely buried. Two of the partially buried hikers had injuries that required medical care. The completely buried woman had suffered very serious injuries. “The injured people were quickly excavated and flown out by rescue helicopters,” local operations manager Markus Rettenwender said in a press release of the Hüttschlager Mountain Rescue. The other three hikers were uninjured.
All emergency forces were flown back into the valley by helicopter due to the prevailing danger of avalanches. The 56-year-old German woman sadly succumbed to her injuries in the night at the University Hospital Salzburg.
Due to the intense snowfall of the past few days, there is an increased risk of avalanches in the mountains. The Northern Alps have seen around 150 centimeters of snow during the recent snowstorm. Due to the early nature of the storm, the snow is poorly bonded to the ground. In addition, rising temperatures increase the risk of spontaneously triggered avalanches. The hiking trail in the direction of Schödersee is located in a catchment area for avalanches. “Such paths should be avoided at the moment due to the danger of avalanches,” says the Pongau district manager Gerhard Kremser, “the sliding and wet snow avalanches can go down all the way to the valley.” Mountain rescue workers urge people to exercise caution on hikes and tours in the mountains over the next few days as increasing temperatures will invariably lead to increased avalanche risk in steep terrain above hiking trails.
This tragic news about the avalanche near St. Johan im Pongau is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this loss. It’s a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers of nature, even in familiar terrains.
Great.