"The first tragedy unfolded on Easter Sunday in South Tyrol, near the high-alpine terrain above Val di Vizze, not far from the ski touring areas surrounding Cima Grava. Cesare Zilio, 36, was skinning up when a large avalanche released around 11 a.m. The avalanche was around 200 meters wide and 800 meters long, carrying him hundreds of meters downhill and burying him beneath approximately 1.5 meters of snow."
"Despite being airlifted to hospital in Bolzano in critical condition - suffering severe trauma, hypothermia, and cardiac arrest - he died three days later on Wednesday, April 8. The Italian avalanche association indicated that elevated temperatures over the Easter weekend contributed to unstable snow conditions."
"Val di Vizze sits within South Tyrol's backcountry touring zone near the Austrian border, an area popular with experienced ski mountaineers seeking long alpine lines outside controlled ski resorts. While nearby lift-served areas like Rosskopf Ski Area offer managed terrain, the surrounding backcountry remains unpatrolled and highly sensitive to changing conditions."
Italy's avalanche season has claimed 40 lives, marking one of the deadliest periods in over ten years. Two experienced ski mountaineers died in separate incidents in the northern Alps. The first incident involved Cesare Zilio, who was caught in a large avalanche in South Tyrol. Despite rescue efforts, he succumbed to his injuries three days later. Contributing factors included elevated temperatures leading to unstable snow conditions. The second fatality occurred in the Lagorai range of Trentino, highlighting the dangers of backcountry skiing in unpatrolled areas.
Read at SnowBrains
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