Sad news from opening day at Solden in Austria

[marzNC]

Sorry to have to report on the first avalanche deaths for the 2019-20 ski season in Europe. It happened at Solden in Austria where there had been a massive snowstorm recently. The two men who died were very experienced guides from The Netherlands. The PlanetSki article includes on the spot reporting in a video.

Nov. 9, 2019, PlanetSki .eu
TRIBUTES PAID TO AVALANCHE VICTIMS
"Updated: The two Dutch men died in Soelden in Austria on Saturday. Both were experienced instructors. A third man survived.

The first avalanche deaths of the season followed heavy snow & high winds in the area.

The two men who died have been named as Stephan Verheij, who was 39, and Roy Brink (33).

A 54-year-old man, also Dutch, was with them but survived the slide.

Friends said they had been fully equipped for going off piste.

Stephan Verheij ran a snowboarding company called White Adventure, offering freeride and split-board guiding.

He had the highest Austria instructing qualification and lived in Kaprun.
. . ."

For a picture of the slide and the rocks below. The slide went onto an open groomer, but luckily no one was involved there.
https://tirol.orf.at/stories/3020970/

 

[VickiK]

Sad news indeed

 

[snow addict]

So sad and unnecessary. Early November, not silly teenagers, experienced people, not tourists, but locals who should have known better. Just why??? Since when is going off-piste on steep slopes after heavy snow and winds in early November with thin to non-existent base a good idea? Stay safe ladies, we have all season ahead. I went skiing last weekend just because I was in the resort for something else and I have a place there. Good for November, otherwise not worth a journey, not worth the price of a lift ticket, definitely nothing to die for. Don't think I will be up till January now. I have a tennis tournament coming up and don't want to risk my knee for less than epic snow.