Cornice falls down, man dies in Kaprun

Cornice falls down, man dies in Kaprun

A 31-year-old alpinist from Slovakia died in Kaprun on Saturday the 29th, because the cornice (snow canopy) on which he was descending fell down. He was dragged down for over 400-meters over a steep face. The man started a tour together with another alpinist after he took the lift to the glacier in Kaprun on the 28th of October.

(c) Safety Academy
© Safety Academy

They spent the night in the Gleiwitzerhütte and they started the descent of the Kempsenkopf towars the Oberen Jägerscharte. At that point the cornice fell down. Our thoughts go out to family and friends. (Source)

Off-piste skiers and snowboarders have to deal with cornices during winter as well, for example when you hike or skin up to reach an untracked slope. Cornices falling down is just one of the many hazards (including avalanches) that we sometimes face when we go out in the backcountry. Be prepared this winter. Start with Mountain Academy now. The first chapter is free.

Haas

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor31 October 2016 · 00:53

Cornice: A mass of snow, ice, etc., projecting over a mountain ridge
Corniche: A winding road cut into the side of a steep hill or along the face of a coastal cliff.
Ja, Ich bein ein easel.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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