Austria - Thomas Plamberger leaves gf, Kerstin Gurtner to freeze to death on Austria's tallest mountain - charged with manslaughter - Jan.19/2025

[LadyL]

This is even better, most detailed overview.

And this guy is skiing way down...

thanks I'm watching the 2nd video
the guy's funny and held my interest even though I would never even consider mountain climbing under any conditions

 

[beubeubeu]

We really don’t know much about them, that’s the problem.

I feel that I know enough about him now. I dont wanna to know more.
If I found what Ive found during few days lazy google search as everything of his is deleted (btw. he also had now-blocked account on another very popular climbing website, that makes it at least two) I dont wanna know what actually qualified investigator with access to his devices found.
But at this point there is zero wonder in me left as to why basically no one gets charged in case of climbing accidents but he did. Zero.
It should be a murder charge.
She wasnt able to cover herself. She got so bad she wasnt able to do it and he hasnt done it. Or all the thermo gear was in his backpack and he hasnt give it to her, took it away from her. He left her there in the dark, unable to move, exposed to the cold - or she was already dead.
Hes no ignorant or a newbie. He very likely know the difference between the weather that helicopter can fly through and when it cant. He called for rescue as it was likely already too bad to fly. He knew that nobody will get to her for hours on foot even if people would go right away.
Also likely knew that they wont go right away cause night climb up in weather and wind even worse than when they were climbing it is not something that anybody would approve for rescue team to go for. They would not risk lives of rescuers only to get to her sooner cause for what? To put her into thermo blanket and into a sleeping bag and wait? Who would even think that he left her there without it?

 

[Sjöberg]

I honestly think that Thomas set out with the aim of either 1) to punish and humiliate his girlfriend (to prove how he is "superior" to her) or 2) to kill her girlfriend (might have considered a "push" that in the end was not needed).

There is no way this was a good plan at any point of time. He had climbed the mountain several times before and knew what he was doing.
And what he was doing was picking the hardest route, during the shortest daylight hours, at winter conditions, and encouraging or forcing her girlriend to do that with minimal experience, carrying extra gear and wearing snowboarding boots for goods sake, then leaving her alone on the peak in the wind and snow and going away with the thermal blankets.

I am really interested in their relationship dynamic and what her friends and family have to say about Thomas.

 

[303gmf]

I lived in a Rocky mountain town for 20 years and it was a standard joke/trope with smart women in their 30's, how they barely survived their early dating 'expeditions' with their guy charging ahead into danger/risk that they felt beyond their comfort. Some men never get beyond that and their partner stops going along.

This was an area where people died regularly from outdoor accidents: falling off cliffs, avalanches, skiing accidents, boating accidents, getting hypothermia because of a change in weather, crashing on a mountain bike, getting attacked by a bear or cougar, being hit by a falling tree in a windstorm, being hit by lightning, being hit by a falling rock: the potential for dying from one small mistake or bad timing was always there.

I know those towns!
Keeping up is difficult, adding in the Peter Pan types and egos from elsewhere

 

[georgiajean]

Okay, just when I thought we had run out of sleuthing avenues, I find photos of Kerstin shared on memorial site after her death here: Wir trauern um Kerstin Gurtner

Underneath one of the photos is "Kerstin Gu Facebook." So I search Kerstin Gu, and find her Facebook. FULL of photos. Of alpine hikes and climbing, with Thomas, over the past years. So, have at it! Log into Facebook

 

[Queen of the Winter Night]

There is excellent footage of "the breakfast place" mentioned in other articles. There is a yellow sign there. I would like to know what it says! In the video, he says that bailing out after this ledge is very hard, so you have to have a hard conversation about whether everyone is good to go. (Makes me wonder if he really did have that conversation with her. Because he indicated they were good to go, and then suddenly she was no longer good to go but they couldn't go back...)

[above snipped by me]
I know some German but not good enough to translate the entire sign (also seems blurry so could not make out second portion of it) so I asked some AI help. This is what it said:

[below bbm]
AI Overview

The yellow sign provides a time checkpoint and safety warning for hikers on a mountain trail, indicating significant difficulties ahead.

• The location is "Frühstücksplatz" at 3,550 meters (approx. 11,647 feet).
• If the ascent time from the previous point ("Stäfibitte") exceeds 3 hours, hikers should turn back.
• Major difficulties on the trail begin at this point.

---

Translation

• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• 3 hours ascent time from the start point. If this guideline is exceeded, a return is recommended!
• Major difficulties begin from here
• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• (Time Checkpoint) Stäfibitte-Frühstücksplatz If it took you more than 3 hours to get here, turn back!
• Your life depends on it
• Expect major difficulties from here on.

EDIT:

I just found a better picture of the English in the second portion:

 

[georgiajean]

Okay, just when I thought we had run out of sleuthing avenues, I find photos of Kerstin shared on memorial site after her death here: Wir trauern um Kerstin Gurtner

Underneath one of the photos is "Kerstin Gu Facebook." So I search Kerstin Gu, and find her Facebook. FULL of photos. Of alpine hikes and climbing, with Thomas, over the past years. So, have at it! Log into Facebook

On Nov 3, 2024, she posts "Dachstein Southwand on the footsteps of Steinerbuam
.1000m of pure pleasure climbing, over the stone path to the roof top
Never thought that after 6 months of alpine climbing I'd make it through the wall "
So she started Alpine climbing around April 2024?

 

[georgiajean]

[above snipped by me]
I know some German but not good enough to translate the entire sign (also seems blurry so could not make out second portion of it) so I asked some AI help. This is what it said:

[below bbm]
AI Overview

The yellow sign provides a time checkpoint and safety warning for hikers on a mountain trail, indicating significant difficulties ahead.

• The location is "Frühstücksplatz" at 3,550 meters (approx. 11,647 feet).
• If the ascent time from the previous point ("Stäfibitte") exceeds 3 hours, hikers should turn back.
• Major difficulties on the trail begin at this point.

---

Translation

• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• 3 hours ascent time from the start point. If this guideline is exceeded, a return is recommended!
• Major difficulties begin from here
• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• (Time Checkpoint) Stäfibitte-Frühstücksplatz If it took you more than 3 hours to get here, turn back!
• Your life depends on it
• Expect major difficulties from here on.

EDIT:

I just found a better picture of the English in the second portion:

View attachment 630590

Thank you!!! So we know they left the parking lot about 6:30, and arrived here about 1:30. Not sure when they left the Studlhutte, but they definitely should have turned back!!

 

[RedHaus]

[above snipped by me]
I know some German but not good enough to translate the entire sign (also seems blurry so could not make out second portion of it) so I asked some AI help. This is what it said:

[below bbm]
AI Overview

The yellow sign provides a time checkpoint and safety warning for hikers on a mountain trail, indicating significant difficulties ahead.

• The location is "Frühstücksplatz" at 3,550 meters (approx. 11,647 feet).
• If the ascent time from the previous point ("Stäfibitte") exceeds 3 hours, hikers should turn back.
• Major difficulties on the trail begin at this point.

---

Translation

• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• 3 hours ascent time from the start point. If this guideline is exceeded, a return is recommended!
• Major difficulties begin from here
• Breakfast place 3,550 m
• (Time Checkpoint) Stäfibitte-Frühstücksplatz If it took you more than 3 hours to get here, turn back!
• Your life depends on it
• Expect major difficulties from here on.

Excellent!

If the translation of the yellow sign at the breakfast stop is accurate, then TP did not heed the warning.

Their ascent started at 6:45am and they got to the breakfast stop at 1:30pm. That is 6 hours and 45 minutes, nearly 7 hours!

The sign instructs climbers to turn around if it took them more than 3 hours to reach that point.

Their climbing time was more than double that guidance.Yet they continued at their own peril.

And sadly KG lost the bet they'd survive.

Clear recklessness and negligence by TP. I hope the prosecution has this data.

IMO.

 

[georgiajean]

Excellent!

If the translation of the yellow sign at the breakfast stop is accurate, then TP did not heed the warning.

Their ascent started at 6:45am and they got to the breakfast stop at 1:30pm. That is 6 hours and 45 minutes, nearly 7 hours!

The sign instructs climbers to turn around if it took them more than 3 hours to reach that point.

Their climbing time was more than double that guidance.Yet they continued at their own peril.

And sadly KG lost the bet they'd survive.

Clear recklessness and negligence by TP. I hope the protection has this data.

IMO.

I agree they should have turned back, but I wanted to clarify that the 3 hour time is from the Studlhutte, not the parking lot. Because most people stay the night at the Studlhutte to start early. It takes 2-3 hours to get to the Studlhutte according to one of the videos I watched. That's in dry conditions, no snow.

 

[beubeubeu]

Okay, just when I thought we had run out of sleuthing avenues, I find photos of Kerstin shared on memorial site after her death here: Wir trauern um Kerstin Gurtner

You cant post it in here I think.
Im almost sure that she has Garmin watch on her wrist on some of these pics, not an apple watch.
So... all her mountain pics are mostly from summer trips or some snowboarding pics + one climb on Dachstein, in March, with lots of daylight and proper gear visible.

She wrote that it was Sunday... So 3rd of March I assume.
Weather archive says -1*C (30F) around 6:00 AM, mostly sunny 15*C (59F) around noon with drop to 4*C (39F) around 6:00 PM. Wind 2 to 4 km/h. So 1,2-2,4 mph.
Im still no expert but this actually sounds much better to me than prospect of climbing in like 90ish*F in June.
That doesnt look easy but for me its no comparison to Stüdlgrat.
And shes thanking him in every post about climbing. Thats odd.
Like sure.. why not, but also weird. And she's thanking him for showing her the route.

Should it convince me that she was experienced and aware what shes getting herself into?
I dont know, but it didt. I cant tell if Im making it fit my earlier conclusions or what.
But it just makes more sense for me now.
She had some experience with him, and with trusting him.
She clearly did winter sports a lot - which we knew before.
And she had at least one winter-ish climb before, with him, with parts of vertical (but looks like much better secured) climbs.
To me that perfectly explains why she went with him and why she hasnt turned back the moment she saw the first climbing part.


I can totally understand how she coul

 

[georgiajean]

According to Kerstin's FB, In March 5, 2024. climbed at Hoher Dachstein 2.995 m. in full deep snow. Clearly geared for climbing in this weather.

 

[georgiajean]

You cant post it in here I think.
Im almost sure that she has Garmin watch on her wrist on some of these pics, not an apple watch.
So... all her mountain pics are mostly from summer trips or some snowboarding pics + one climb on Dachstein, in March, with lots of daylight and proper gear visible.

She wrote that it was Sunday... So 3rd of March I assume.
Weather archive says -1*C (30F) around 6:00 AM, mostly sunny 15*C (59F) around noon with drop to 4*C (39F) around 6M. Wind 2 to 4 km/h. So 1,2-2,4 mph.
Im still no expert but this actually sounds much better to me than prospect of climbing in like 90ish*F in June.
That doesnt look easy but for me its no comparison to Stüdlgrat.
And shes thanking him in every post about climbing. Thats odd.
Like sure.. why not, but also weird. And she's thanking him for showing her the route.

Should it convince me that she was experienced and aware what shes getting herself into?
I dont know, but it didt. I cant tell if Im making it fit my earlier conclusions or what.
But it just makes more sense for me now.
She had some experience with him, and with trusting him.
She clearly did winter sports a lot - which we knew before.
And she had at least one winter-ish climb before, with him, with parts of vertical (but looks like much better secured) climbs.
To me that perfectly explains why she went with him and why she hasnt turned back the moment she saw the first climbing part.


I can totally understand how she coul

It is ok to post Victim social media. Rules - Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, etc. I will remove the post I copied comment from.

 

[Queen of the Winter Night]

From that link, there is one photo from November 3rd, 2024 of her and Thomas(?) summiting a mountain at night.

 

[beubeubeu]

Excellent!

If the translation of the yellow sign at the breakfast stop is accurate, then TP did not heed the warning.

Their ascent started at 6:45am and they got to the breakfast stop at 1:30pm. That is 6 hours and 45 minutes, nearly 7 hours!

The sign instructs climbers to turn around if it took them more than 3 hours to reach that point.

Their climbing time was more than double that guidance.Yet they continued at their own peril.

And sadly KG lost the bet they'd survive.

Clear recklessness and negligence by TP. I hope the prosecution has this data.

IMO.

But that sign is not maintained or thought to work as a warning for Winter climbs.
No guarantee that it was even visible (not covered by snow) at that point.
He didnt needed that sign though, he climbed it before.
He could not possibly think that they can made it to the peak before sundown.
And that... may actually work as a reason to speed up their pace beyond reasonable to made it in time anyway. Their timing from the parking lot seems pretty good, but that was the "easy" part and he knew it. Did she?

 

[IceIce9]

What a horrid story.

Sounds like intentional negligence, unless he was also hypothermic and delusional.

I wonder what his defense will be?

That poor woman, entrusting her life...

My first thought was that he was suffering from hypothermia and/or hypoxia, which would have impaired his judgement.

JMO

 

[Queen of the Winter Night]

But that sign is not maintained or thought to work as a warning for Winter climbs.
No guarantee that it was even visible (not covered by snow) at that point.
He didnt needed that sign though, he climbed it before.
He could not possibly think that they can made it to the peak before sundown.
And that... may actually work as a reason to speed up their pace beyond reasonable to made it in time anyway. Their timing from the parking lot seems pretty good, but that was the "easy" part and he knew it. Did she?

It makes it worse though because he had to have seen that sign on his previous hikes of the mountain and knew all about that checkpoint.

How does their timing on their route compare to the warning on the sign?

 

[georgiajean]

This is from the memorial page. Wir trauern um Kerstin Gurtner I am very confused about the caption. Can anyone translate the words written on the photo?
The caption indicates they climbed Grossglockner in Sept 2024. There are no photos of this on her FB page though.

 

[Sjöberg]

The caption indicates they climbed Grossglockner in Sept 2024.

I'm not sure that "our" means poster and Kerstin, though it might.
The German caption google translates correctly: "Unfortunately, you didn't get to see the summit cross. Fate had other plans."
IMO, the poster has previously hiked to the top. Kerstin never got to.

 

[Sjöberg]

My first thought was that he was suffering from hypothermia and/or hypoxia, which would have impaired his judgement.

JMO

IMO, the main thing he was suffering from was a giant ego. The symptoms line up.