Deadly avalanches strike Vorarlberg as skiers face unstable snow risks
Deadly End to Ski Tour on Winterstaude Peak in Egg/Schetteregg
Authorities in Vorarlberg report that a 53-year-old backcountry skier set out on a tour up Winterstaude, a 1,877-meter peak. Around 1:30 p.m., as he descended the north face just west of the summit, he triggered a slab avalanche. The slide carried the skier 295 meters downhill and 214 meters vertically over rocky terrain.
After the fall, the man lay motionless on the steep slope. Though well-equipped, he had managed to deploy his avalanche airbag, which kept him from being fully buried. Despite this, the emergency physician aboard the rescue helicopter could only confirm his death.
A second avalanche occurred at the same time in off-piste terrain near Lech, in the area known as Ochsengümple. At 1:30 p.m., a 32-year-old freeride skier triggered a small slab avalanche. He was swept away but came to rest on the snow's surface. Fearing further danger, the group of six skiers called for help. A police helicopter crew later airlifted them to safety.
The Vorarlberg Avalanche Warning Service had issued a warning for Saturday, cautioning that hazardous avalanche conditions persisted at high elevations. Above 1,800 meters, the risk level was rated 3 (considerable danger). According to their website: "Fresh snow and extensive wind-drifted accumulations in all aspects are partially unstable. Slab avalanches can be triggered with minimal additional load in near-surface layers and may reach medium to large sizes." The service also noted that in west-, north-, and east-facing slopes, avalanches could break into deeper layers of the snowpack, potentially growing large.
The Winterstaude Ridge is a mountain range in Vorarlberg, located in the Bregenz Forest on the right bank of the Bregenzer Ach river.
Related: A 21-year-old snowboarder in the Ifen ski area initially believed he was uninjured—only to later discover he had suffered severe spinal fractures.
