By meteomorris on 16 October 2016 · 1

Two alpinists / tour skiers were caught by an avalanche near the peak of the Hintertux glacier today. The men, a 44 year old man from Kundl and a 25 year old man from Fügen were hiking up on crampons on a very steep slope when they triggered an avalanche around two o'clock.

The avalanche debris

The avalanche came loose at an altitude of 3280 meters and dragged the two men around one hundred meters before coming to a stop.

The 44-year-old man could be located quickly because he was only partially buried. Rescue services have been searching for the another man for hours, but he could only be located by the end of the afternoon. For him, help came too late...

The fracture line

The complete avalanche

The high alpine had to deal with heavy winds and winter conditions. There's was a heavy wind coming from the south on Friday and Saturday and that resulted in a tense snow cover. The fact that they had to search for hours to find the victim indicates that he wasn't wearing an avalanche beacon. The 25-year-old man is the first avalanche victim in the Alps this winter. Our thoughts go out to family and friends.

There was also an avalanche reported in the Kaunertal today, but fortunately without fatalities. Are you riding off-piste this winter? Make sure you're prepared and that you have the right knowledge. Start Mountain Academy now. The first chapter is free.

Pictures: Tim Reut