Boulder kills 67-year-old hiker on trail to Schödersee in the Großarltal

Course of the rockfall

Despite the rapid large-scale deployment of rescue services, she succumbed to her severe injuries at the scene. Although the team from the rescue helicopter "Martin 1" and the Hüttschlag mountain rescue service arrived on site within a very short time, they could no longer do anything for the hiker. The woman is believed to have been struck by a rockfall, according to the emergency services' summary. A 67-year-old hiker was struck by a falling boulder on a tour to the Schödersee and fatally injured.

In addition to the "Martin 1" rescue helicopter, two helicopter teams and 15 mountain rescuers from the Hüttschlag local branch were deployed in the large-scale operation. The Martin 1 rescue helicopter team and the Hüttschlag mountain rescue service reached the accident site within a very short time. In total, 15 mountain rescuers from the Hüttschlag local branch and two helicopter teams were deployed. After the recovery operation was completed, the deceased was flown down into the valley by police helicopter.

Rescue operation in the Schödertal

The tragic accident left the hiking group in shock. The remaining members of the hiking group were safely escorted down into the valley by the emergency services. In addition to the mountain rescue service, specially trained peers from the mountain rescue service and the Red Cross crisis intervention team looked after the companions of the deceased in order to absorb the acute stress on the group.

After the recovery of the deceased and the support of the group, the accident site in the Schödertal was released by the emergency services. The authorities have begun investigations into the exact course of the rockfall. Mountain guides and representatives of the Alpine Club were also informed of the incident. The Salzburg mountain rescue service pointed out in this context the general dangers of rockfall in high alpine regions, especially after prolonged warm periods or during changing temperatures.

Support for the shocked hiking group

The Schödersee is one of the well-known hiking destinations in the rear Großarltal and can be reached via a marked trail. The Schödertal branches off from the main valley at the head of the Großarltal near Hüttschlag and leads in several switchbacks to the mountain lake. The section where the group was located at the time of the accident is considered exposed according to the mountain rescue service and is particularly treacherous in early summer due to thawing rock sections.

Mountain rescuers and the Alpine Club will also intensively monitor the affected section of trail in the coming days. Hikers in the region were urged not to leave the signed trails and to pay attention to information boards. The Salzburg mountain rescue service emphasized that loose rock sections can suddenly break off after the snowmelt even outside known rockfall zones.

Route to the Schödersee

For the emergency services in the Pongau, it was the second serious alpine accident of the season within a short time. Only a few weeks earlier, a female mountaineer had been recovered with injuries in the neighboring Gasteinertal. The Salzburg mountain rescue service reminded in this context of the importance of tour planning adapted to the weather conditions as well as carrying complete emergency equipment.

The Alpine Club, whose local group the fatally injured woman belonged to, announced an internal debriefing of the incident. A memorial event for the deceased is also planned within the hiking group, it was said. The incident triggered dismay in the Großarltal region and in the Pongau, as the hike to the Schödersee is also considered a popular tour among local mountain enthusiasts.

The police have meanwhile formally completed the identification of the deceased. The body was released for the upcoming burial in agreement with the relatives. According to initial findings, there were no indications of third-party involvement or an improperly secured section of trail.

The exact course of the accident is still being reconstructed. Based on the current state of knowledge, the Salzburg mountain rescue service assumes that a rock slab broke off above the trail and the falling rock struck the hiker on the foot. The investigations by the responsible authorities into the causes of the rockfall are ongoing. Results are expected in the coming days, according to police.

Investigations into the course of the accident

Hikers planning to visit the Großarltal and the Schödertal in the near future are asked to inform themselves about the current weather and trail conditions before starting their tour. The Hüttschlag mountain rescue service can be reached via the nationwide emergency number 140. The Alpine Club also offers current tour reports and information on risks in the Hohe Tauern on its website.

The accident in the Großarltal is part of a series of rockfall events reported from the Alps in recent weeks. Experts see a connection with the increasing warming and the more frequent alternation of frost and thaw phases in the high mountains. They recommend not leaving marked trails, keeping sufficient distance from rock faces, and seeking shelter immediately if rockfall is suspected.

Advice for hikers

APA reported on the incident on July 16, 2026. The Pongau and especially the Großarltal are among the strongest tourism regions in the state of Salzburg. Fatal hiking accidents are overall rare here, but due to the popularity of the tours they regularly attract supra-regional attention.

The news of the death of the 67-year-old spread quickly on social media on Thursday evening. Many hiking friends and members of the Alpine Club expressed their condolences. The municipality of Hüttschlag also published a brief statement in which it expressed its sympathy to the relatives and thanked the emergency services for their rapid response.