He Fell Into a Crevasse in 1963. He Just Got His Stuff Back

Live updates

1. 16d ago

   Hiker Reunited With Backpack Lost in Austrian Glacier in 1963

   An 86-year-old mountaineer has recovered a backpack he abandoned 60 to 63 years ago during a hiking accident in Austria. The hiker was 23 years old in 1963 when he fell into a glacier crevasse and threw his gear away to survive. The backpack recently resurfaced as Alpine ice melted, acting as a time capsule from the early 1960s. Sources differ on whether the gear was lost exactly 60 or 63 years ago.

   Why it matters

   Glacial melting in the Alps frequently reveals long-lost objects and remains. This event highlights the physical impact of climate change on mountain environments. The recovery provides a rare instance of a survivor reclaiming personal belongings from a decades-old accident.

   What is confirmed

   • A hiker recovered a backpack lost in an Austrian glacier in 1963.
   • The mountaineer is 86 years old.
   • The gear was lost after the hiker fell into a glacier crevasse.
   • The backpack resurfaced due to melting Alpine ice.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The hiker was 23 years old when he threw the backpack into the crevasse to survive.
   • The man is German.

   What to watch next

   • Verification of the exact year the gear was recovered to resolve the 60 versus 63 year discrepancy.
   • Details on the condition of the items found inside the backpack.
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. Newser — Climber Reunited With Gear Lost in Glacier in 1963
   2. CNN — Man, 86, reunited with backpack 60 years after abandoning it during hiking accident
   3. The Guardian — Hiker reunited with backpack 60 years after he fell into a glacier in Austria
   4. Gulf News — Austrian climber gets backpack back 63 years after losing it in glacier
   5. ua.news — Austrian mountaineer, 86, gets backpack back after 60 years
   6. Global News — Hiker receives lost backpack 63 years after he fell into Austrian glacier
   7. People.com — Mountaineer Reunited with Backpack Lost in Glacier More Than 60 Years Ago
   8. Radio Moldova — German recovers backpack lost on Austrian glacier after six decades
   9. The Economic Times — In 1963, 23-year-old hiker threw his backpack into an Austrian glacier crevasse to survive; 63 years later
   10. 매일경제 — It is known that the belongings of hikers over 80 years old have been discovered in 60 years as glac..
   11. Outside Magazine — Melting Alpine Ice Reveals a 63-Year-Old Mountaineering Time Capsule
   confidence 90%