Wetter Avalanches and Crumbling Rocks: Why Life-and-Death Rescues are changing

Mountain rescuers in orange jackets, yellow helmets, goggles and climbing harnesses are called in to assist three climbers injured by Wetter rockfall.

Snow billows out of the metal door. A massive, dark room, fitted out to resemble a windswept mountain at night, is entered by the rescuers with their head torches on.

Staged rescues are part of a training session at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy. Keeping people safe in the mountains is a priority for scientists here.

Using an “extreme climate simulator”, they simulate any weather and altitude using temperature, air pressure, light levels, snow and wind conditions.

Emergency medicine specialists from all over Italy can also train using the simulator for dangerous missions, from cave rescues to rescuing trapped climbers.

As a director of the Italian Mountain and Cave Rescue Service, Simona Berteletti says that the most complex rescues involve climbers on rock walls with a huge void below them.

Tourism is booming in many outdoor pursuit hotspots around the world. Italian search and rescue specialists suffered 41% of injuries during missions, while 59% occurred during training exercises.

Mountain emergency medicine expert Giacomo Strapazzon says the pandemic has led to an increase in people visiting the mountains, including people with little experience.

“So, we are continuously seeing more rescue missions, as well as rescuers having accidents during training and during missions.”

In essence, the climate simulator feels like a giant fridge – called “terraXcube“. Noise from ventilators blows snow.

The scaffolding simulates a rock face where three climbers – or rather, pretend climbers – entangle themselves in their ropes.

An individual hangs from the wall, another is trapped on a high ledge, and a third has fallen and is lying at the bottom. I’m at -17C. When one of the climbers is brought down safely, he suffers a cardiac arrest, the rescuers are informed.

Berteletti stands outside the chamber, pointing out how it is safe to practice treating people in extreme conditions. Rescuers still train outdoors, but use simulators to master extreme scenarios and complex techniques in safety.

Anybody who feels unwell can leave the box if they get sick,” she says. While if you’re training on a glacier 4,000m above sea level, and someone is unwell, that’s a long way down.”

Monte Rosa is home to Europe’s highest refuge, on a 4,600m (15,000ft) mountain bordering Italy and Switzerland.

Altitude-related illnesses, glacier crevasses, and climbers falling off ridges are among the accidents, she says. Caves are a special challenge in Italy.

Berteletti gestures at a speleologist passing by and says cave rescue is very complex, and completely different from other missions. A 1000 meter [3,300 ft] dive can take days, even weeks. Sometimes tents are set up underground.”

They also discuss slippery footwear, leaving trails, and other reasons people get into trouble, during breaktime. Risky activities can also seem harmless.

Oscar Santunione reports rescues of mushroom pickers in the Emilia-Romagna region. People come foraging for mushrooms more often now, and the terrain drops off suddenly.

Avalanches and Climate Change

Certain outdoor risks are also increasing due to climate change. According to a research report by Swiss researchers in 2024, the European Alps have warmed twice as much as the global average.

Rockfall has increased in the high mountains as glaciers and permafrost have thawed, previously acting as glue for the rocks.

Rescue techniques can improve our ability to deal with hazards, according to research. Swiss avalanche deaths have risen by 10% between 1981 and 2020, and rescue times have improved over that period, according to a study by Eurac Research and WSL.

Researchers report an increase in preventive measures, including avalanche warnings, training for ski tourers, and better search-and-rescue techniques.

Rescuers now have less time to save someone from an avalanche: the critical window for survival has shrunk from 15 minutes to just 10 minutes after being buried by snow.

Those possible links need further study, Strapazzon says, including severe injuries or wetter, denser snow, which makes breathing harder.

It is essential to carry an avalanche safety kit and have avalanche safety training when ski touring, says Strapazzon. No matter what guide you hire, he says. How will you proceed if the guide is also buried?”

A ski tour involves skiing in areas away from groomed pistes, also called backcountry skiing. Even though it’s becoming more popular, avalanches make it high-risk.

Outdoor trends also trigger risks, according to rescuers. Berteletti says cycling accidents have increased a lot.

People these days use e-bikes to get up mountains without training, but then they don’t know how to get down, which is more challenging. Only very experienced, strong cyclists could make it up the mountain before.”

Strapazzon says unfamiliarity with the mountains can also make people underestimate its weather. He points outside the window at the sunny autumn sky and says this is a dangerous day.

In a sunny autumn like today, people climb up Via Ferrata [steel cables and ladders], then arrive at the top to find snow and ice, and they don’t have crampons or ice picks. Darkness comes earlier, so they are surprised.”

Rescue missions usually end well, but the sheer volume of operations can strain volunteers. Colorado’s search and rescue service, which is America’s busiest, says overstretched helpers are at risk of burnout due to the increase in rescue calls.

Exit Safer

When a helicopter approaches, we may feel relief – but unfortunately, the danger is not over just yet. Operation hoisting people up can go wrong, and helicopters can crash. Altitude may also be a problem for the pilot.

A neurologist at Eurac Research tested whether altitude affected emergency providers’ cognitive function using the extreme climate simulator.

Falla found a slower reaction time at 5,000m (16,400ft). Rescue missions may require helicopters to fly at that altitude, she explains, affecting both the pilot and any emergency providers.

Separate research by Falla and her colleagues suggests oxygen bottles might help prevent these problems. At 4,000 m (13,100 ft) altitude, oxygen supplementation improved cognitive performance. Defibrillators could also be carried by drones in the future, says Strapazzon.

In some terrain, such as narrow gorges, helicopters cannot fly because of the weather. “Drones can fly where helicopters can’t – and they arrive faster.”

Despite the risks, Strapazzon believes that people shouldn’t shy away from the mountains due to their knowledge of them. Mountaineering carries a certain risk, but staying away would cost you a wonderful experience.