Avalanche accident in Hochfügen: Seriously injured freeride guides saved!

Avalanche accident in Hochfügen: Seriously injured freeride guides saved!

In a dramatic incident in the Hochfügen ski area, a 51-year-old freeride guide was seriously injured on December 10, 2024 in an avalanche accident. As meinzirk.at , the accident occurred around 3:15 p.m., including two experienced guides was traveling below the Waidoffen mountain station. The group intended to drive off the northern Host slope and was previously instructed to do this individually to avoid dangerous situations.

The 44-year-old guide was the first to start and reached the lower area. The 51-year-old guide suddenly fell while he drove down the slope below. In an attempt to help him, a 47-year-old participant drove into the slope when a snowboard loosened above. Both men were carried away by the avalanche about 30 meters. While the 47-year-old landed unharmed on the surface of the avalanche, the 51-year-old guide was partially buried. Fortunately, the other group members managed to free him from the avalanche within a few minutes, as the local police said in a message.

rescue operation and injuries

The injured guide was immediately flown by the emergency helicopter to the Schwaz hospital. The avalanche, which had a width of around 40 to 50 meters and a length of around 100 meters, was a considerable danger to the participants. All other four members of the group were not injured in this incident. The exact causes of the fall of the guides have so far been unknown, but this incident shows the dangers of freerids and the unpredictable conditions in alpine terrain.