The 48-year-old British man, whose name was not reported due to Austrian privacy laws, was with two friends aged 48 and 47 and going down a slope from the Valluga ski lift.
According to officials, the British trio chose to snowboard down a closed route covered by deep powder snow.
The three Brits were snowboarding with about 60 feet between them when the 48 year old was plunged into a large crack in the snowpack.
He fell headfirst into hole, which was difficult to spot due to the drifts and the fresh snow cover.
St Anton police officer Patrick Wechner said: “One believes to be on firm ground and then falls suddenly into the abyss.”
According to reports, the Briton was stuck in the snow upside down from his head to his knees, with only his lower legs sticking out.
Both the British man’s friends tried to dig him out of the snow and to clear his head but it was only when other skiers approached the group and offered help that they were able to pull him free.
Emergency staff and a helicopter with a doctor where called in. But resuscitation attempts failed and the snowboarder was pronounced dead at the scene.
St Anton has experienced large snowfalls this winter with the resort being locked down at least twice due to avalanche danger earlier in the season.