Backpack found at Sulztalferner after 63 years gives missing mountaineer case a new twist

The find site: Sulztalferner in the Stubai Alps

Alfred Rothfischer, who has followed the case for decades, also took part in the search and recovery. The older contemporary witness from Bavaria accompanied the operation together with his son. The find thus connects two generations: a man who still knew the missing person, and a family member who carries the search forward. The Rothfischer family's involvement underscores the personal dimension of the case.

Recovery and research work on Tyrolean glaciers has been carried out systematically for years. Due to climate change, the ice masses are melting ever faster, releasing objects that often reach far back into the past. In the summer of 2026 alone, rescue teams at the Sulztalferner documented equipment and personal belongings from the 1950s and 1960s.

The Rothfischer family accompanies the recovery

Those involved hope the backpack's contents will provide clues about the exact course of the accident at the time. In addition to personal items, the finds could yield conclusions about the route, the equipment, and the weather conditions at the time of the disappearance. Such insights are significant not only for the relatives but also for alpine accident research.

The case joins a series of glacier finds that have attracted media attention in Tyrol and Bavaria. In previous years, remains and pieces of equipment from missing mountaineers had surfaced at other Tyrolean glaciers. Experts emphasize that every find must be carefully documented and forensically examined in order to make reliable statements about the fate of the missing.

Glaciers as archives of the Alps

For the relatives and for Alfred Rothfischer, the find after 63 years represents an emotional moment. The fact that a son took part in the recovery together with his father gives the story a special note. It shows how alpine history is carried forward across generations and how the dwindling glacier becomes the archive of the Alps.

The responsible authorities in Tyrol and the volunteer helpers involved announced that the backpack and its contents would be thoroughly examined. Should this yield further clues about the mountaineer's fate, they are to be published promptly. Until then, the find remains another chapter in the long list of glacier finds that make the fate of missing alpinists accessible to posterity.