A fatal climb on Austria's tallest peak is now at the center of a courtroom fight that could reshape how blame is assigned in the mountains. More than a year after 33-year-old Kerstin G. died of hypothermia near the summit of the 12,460-foot Grossglockner, her boyfriend goes on trial Thursday, charged with grossly negligent manslaughter for allegedly abandoning her in brutal winter conditions to seek help, per the BBC. Prosecutors say that as the more seasoned alpinist, Thomas P. effectively acted as guide. They fault him for choosing an overly ambitious winter route for her experience level, starting late, allowing unsuitable gear including Kerstin's snowboard soft boots, and failing to turn back or call for help when the weather worsened.
His lawyer calls the death "a tragic accident," arguing the pair jointly planned the climb, were fit, well-equipped, and pushed on only while both felt capable. The two were seen by webcams still ascending late at night; accounts diverge over when they became trapped, when police were called, and why distress signals allegedly weren't used. Prosecutors say he left her exhausted near the summit around 2am without a sleeping bag or other adequate protection and delayed alerting rescuers. Thomas' lawyer previously said he left her "by mutual agreement," per the Independent. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison—and, observers say, the verdict could mark a "paradigm shift" in how legal responsibility works in high-risk mountain sports.
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