Authorities in Austria have identified Kerstin Gurtner as the woman who froze to death near the summit of Grossglockner after her boyfriend allegedly abandoned her during a winter ascent. The case has intensified after prosecutors confirmed that the fatal climb was recorded on publicly available webcam footage, which appears to show the couple's lights on the mountain before only one light begins moving back down.
Gurtner, 33, died less than 150 feet from the top of Grossglockner, Austria's highest peak. She had begun the ascent with her partner, Thomas Plamberger, 39, who is now charged with grossly negligent manslaughter. According to the NY Post report identifying the victim, Gurtner described herself as a passionate lover of cold-weather climbs, yet she lacked experience in high-altitude winter routes of this scale.
