She was one of the most successful biathletes, an ambitious alpine all-rounder, mountain guide, and sports scientist with her heart in the mountains. We mourn the loss of a fighter who died in an accident in the Karakoram.
Love the life in the mountains all over the world.
Laura Dahlmeier
On July 28, 2025, 31-year-old Laura and her climbing partner Marina Krauss were descending from the summit of Laila Peak (6.069 m). During a rappel maneuver at 5.700 meters, they were struck by a rockfall. Krauss immediately called emergency services and tried for hours to reach Laura herself, but this was impossible due to the persistent rockfall and the steep terrain. During the night, she could no longer detect any signs of life from Laura Dahlmeier and decided to retreat from the danger zone.
For two days, rescue workers tried to rescue the athlete. Due to the remoteness of the area, rescue helicopters were only able to reach the accident site on Tuesday morning and were unable to reach Dahlmeier. On Wednesday, a rescue team of four mountaineers – including Thomas huber – and two porters in two teams made another attempt to rescue Laura, but this attempt was also unsuccessful. On July 30, it was announced that Laura Dahlmeier had died in an accident on Laila Peak.
Dahlmeier's management also reported that it was her express wish to leave her body on the mountain in the event of a fatal accident. Dahlmeier did not want anyone to risk their life to retrieve her. Her relatives ask that Laura's final wishes be respected.
She died in a place that was home to her: her beloved mountains.
A child of the mountains
Laura grew up at the foot of Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze. "I feel at home here," she writes in her book, recounting the alpine meadows, peaks, and rock faces that shaped her childhood. Her parents were also always active, so she grew up surrounded by mountain hikes and mountain bike trails.
I grew up in the mountains, and mountaineering, climbing, and ski mountaineering/skiing have always been a part of my life.
Laura Dahlmeier «When I do something, I do it properly»
Biathlon star and exceptional athlete
As a winter sports athlete, Laura conquered the world stage: She began biathlon at the age of seven and competed early on for the SC Partenkirchen team. She celebrated her first successes in 2013 at the Junior World Championships in Obertilliach, where she won three gold medals and thus launched her impressive career.
People often ask me about my early phase of competitive sports and almost pity me for having to do it at such a young age. But I didn't have to do anything – I enjoyed it! And I'd do it all over again.
Laura Dahlmeier
In the following years, she quickly established herself among the world's elite. In the 2016/17 season, she won the overall World Cup and won five medals – including three gold medals – at the World Championships in Hochfilzen.
In 2018, she reached the pinnacle of her biathlon career at the Winter Olympics: she won two Olympic gold medals: in the sprint and in the pursuit.
All I knew was that I had achieved my big goal, and I couldn't really achieve more than an Olympic victory in biathlon.
Laura Dahlmeier
Overall, she became a seven-time world champion, won two Olympic gold medals, and one bronze medal in the individual event. During her career, she collected 33 World Cup victories (20 individual victories) and reached the podium 55 times.
After success – freedom
After her Olympic victory, she became thoughtful, as she herself wrote in her book "Wenn ich was mach, mach ich's gscheid" (If I do something, I'll do it properly). She had reached the top and wondered whether the fire was still as strong as before. Laura Dahlmeier competed for one last season and left the scene in 2019 with a final World Cup in Östersund.
I don't practice mountaineering as a competitive sport. […] I need my freedom because I still have so much to discover.
Laura Dahlmeier
Laura was known for her adventurous spirit, her conscious decisions, and her respect for the mountains. Time and again, she found challenging projects—or these projects found her—and time and again, she embraced the adventure. Among other things, she completed the "Zugspitz-Quattro," sought out a descent from the Zugspitze into the Höllental valley, climbed the Directe Amércaine on the Petite Dru, and climbed the "Swiss Alps" together with the Huber brothers the Mont Blanc over the Brouillard pillar and set a women’s speed record at the Mistress Dablam.
Laura repeatedly emphasized that the mountains meant freedom to her. She described the feeling of itching fingers and the thrill of adventure that gripped her. At the same time, she was always fully aware of the dangers lurking in the mountains and the risks she was taking with each tour. She dedicated an entire chapter of her book to this topic.
For me, being out in the mountains simply means pure freedom. And the most beautiful thing I can imagine is being out in the mountains with loved ones. Then I'm completely content. For me, that's pure, real life. And I'm not prepared to give that up just to minimize every risk.
Laura Dahlmeier
A loss for the world of mountaineering
Laura's reflective, strong-willed, and self-determined personality will be remembered by all friends, fans, and everyone who was privileged to walk a part of her journey with her. Her talent for assessing situations calmly and without panic, and for making intelligent, safety-conscious decisions, was remarkable, and she stopped climbing too early. We will miss her, not as an athlete, but as a person who loved the freedom and beauty of the mountains.
The entire editorial team at Lacrux.com would like to express our deepest condolences to Laura's family, friends, and her climbing partner, who had to witness this tragedy firsthand. We wish you all the strength in the world during this sad time.
+ + +
Credits cover photo: Laura Dahlmeier Instagram