Tragedy Strikes on the Adler Glacier Near Zermatt
Early spring in the Swiss Alps usually draws seasoned skiers to its pristine slopes, but this weekend brought grim news: five skiers were found dead on the avalanche-scarred Adler Glacier, high above Zermatt. Their story unfolded after two hikers, trekking in the icy shadow of Rimpfischhorn, spotted pairs of abandoned skis sticking out from the snowy expanse—a chilling sign that something had gone horribly wrong at nearly 13,000 feet.
Rescue teams jumped into action, deploying helicopters and braving the harsh terrain on foot. Within hours, they located three bodies nestled nearly 500 meters down from where the skis were left. Just a bit higher, about 200 meters up, crews found the remaining two victims pressed into a white blanket of fresh powder. The mission wasn't just a routine recovery—it was a race against weather and fading daylight, with avalanches remaining a very real threat in the region.
Search for Answers Amid Avalanche Dangers
Even now, the names of those killed on the glacier are officially unconfirmed. Authorities are keeping a tight lid on details as families are notified, running through a meticulous process to formally identify the five skiers. Meanwhile, investigators are picking apart the critical hours leading up to the accident—scrutinizing everything from the shifting spring weather to the steepness and recent conditions of the slope. They’re also zeroing in on avalanche warnings, which are not uncommon this late in the winter up at high altitudes around Zermatt.
The weekend’s dangers didn’t end with the Adler Glacier. Just over an hour from Zermatt, the Morgenhorn mountain in Kandersteg saw disaster strike as well. An avalanche on its slopes killed a 29-year-old skier from Bern and left two others injured—both events unfolding within a single 24-hour window. Emergency teams responded quickly, but the region’s notorious snow slides proved deadly.
These back-to-back incidents rattled both local and visiting mountain communities. Experts say an increase in late-winter temperature swings can trigger unstable conditions, turning even familiar routes into unpredictable traps. Mountain guides and rescue workers have been warning for weeks that March and April bring a dangerous mix—rising daytime temperatures, overnight freezes, and new snow that rests precariously on top of older layers.
Authorities are urging anyone heading into the upper Alps to take avalanche alerts seriously and avoid risky off-piste adventures. As the investigation continues, the search for answers is as pressing as the sorrow felt across ski lodges in Zermatt and Kandersteg, where many know firsthand how quickly the mountains can turn from playground to peril.
