He was killed in the 1936 Eiger north face climbing disaster during an attempted summit via that route with his partner Toni Kurz.

Together with his childhood friend Toni Kurz, he made numerous first ascents of peaks in the Berchtesgaden Alps, including some of the most difficult climbs of that time.

[3] During a retreat from the wall, due both to an injury suffered by one of his comrades and to the severe weather, Hinterstoisser could not recross the traverse to safety because the group had previously removed the rope that had helped them across.

[3] Contact was made with a railway guard halfway down the descent during which the climbers claimed everything was all right (perhaps out of pride or the knowledge that they were close to safety).

The rest of the group suffered the same fate: Willy Angerer was killed by the impact; Edi Rainer was asphyxiated from the weight of the rope holding his comrades; and Toni Kurz died from exposure the following day, despite having made contact with rescuers.