A Climb Turns Tragic and Ends in Death on Austria's Highest Mountain

Fateful Climb into Darkness

The woman and her partner attempted the difficult and highly technical Stüdlgrat Ridge route. This route includes an approximately 3,300 feet (1,000m) extremely technical and dangerous ascent. Climbing through cold temperatures and fierce wind, the team came within 200 feet of the summit when the woman collapsed.

Her partner descended in search of assistance, but the woman succumbed to the elements and died. The devasting event now resides with Austrian prosecutor’s office to determine her partner’s culpability in the matter. Her partner had climbing experience.

The couple took off from Kals hut en route to Stüdlgrat Ridge early on January 18th in favorable conditions, which soon deteriorated with rising winds and dropping temperatures. The dismal conditions slowed the pair, forcing them to navigate the most treacherous section of the route in darkness.

Teams Retreat

Other climbing teams had retreated from the mountain due to these conditions, but the couple persisted, which alarmed fellow mountaineers. The witnesses of the ascending climbers notified the Alpine Police. The Alpine Police scrambled a helicopter rescue, but to no avail as the climbers did not provide an emergency signal as they kept climbing.
By midnight, the male climber left the struggling woman in search of help via the mountain’s summit, and down the easier Normal Route. He reached the Adlersruhe Hut and called authorities.

According to the Austrian newspaper Kleinezeitung, a team boarded a helicopter and began a rescue mission in frigid conditions. Eventually they found the woman – already dead from apparent exposure. Mountain guide Peter Suntinger, who has climbed Grossglockner 200 times, gave his opinion to Kleinezeitung.

"If you’re not an absolute professional climber, you should only tackle the Studlgrat route in winter with a guide. If the guide sees that you are not in perfect shape in terms of mountain climbing, experience, and conditioning, he would immediately advise against the climb."Peter Suntinger

Mystery and Questions

Many questions surround this unfortunate accident – namely trying to figure out why the couple kept climbing into the dark as conditions deteriorated. Such conditions typically result in retreat as other teams did on that day. Apparently, they had supplies including a bivy sack and thermal blanket, which went unused. The investigation will look at these inputs as they determine whether the surviving climber holds a degree of responsibility.

The reasons why someone dies while climbing a mountain, known as the ‘Big Mistake’ among mountaineers, typically goes unquestioned and not talked about. But sometimes answers need to surface to honor the dead, determine accountability, and to provide lessons for future climbs.
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