Backpack found under ice in Alps after 63 years, owner identified

An extraordinary discovery has emerged from the icy heights of the Alps, where a mountain guide stumbled upon a backpack that had been buried under ice for 63 years. The find, made on July 16, 2026, on the Sulztalferner glacier in the Stubai Alps at an altitude of approximately 2,955 meters, has led to the identification of its owner, an 86-year-old man.

The backpack, found by guide Marco Stern, contained items like an ice axe, a camera, and a whistle, all appearing to be from the 1950s or 1960s. After ensuring no human remains were nearby, Stern handed the backpack over to the Neustift police. An investigation was launched, initially considering the possibility of an accident.

The breakthrough came when police meticulously examined the contents of a heavily damaged document folder within the backpack. Officer Gregor Gatt described finding numerous handwritten notes, including bank withdrawal confirmations from a Bavarian bank, but no identification documents. After carefully drying the notes, they managed to decipher the name "Alfred Rothfischer."

Further investigation led police to Rothfischer himself, who confirmed the items belonged to him. He had lost the backpack at the age of 23 on August 4, 1963, during a high-altitude expedition with friends. He recounted falling into a crevasse and, to lighten his load and aid his rescue by ropes held by companions, he removed and dropped his backpack into the chasm. Rothfischer, who had always remembered the lost backpack, was unable to collect it in person due to his health. His son, Andreas Rothfischer, collected the recovered belongings on August 25.