A dramatic rescue mission is currently in progress following an avalanche that buried at least three skiers in Alaska this week. Alaska State Troopers reported that multiple skiers were trapped in an avalanche near Anchorage on Tuesday, near the West Fork of 20 Mile River close to Girdwood around 3:30 p.m.
Guides, utilizing avalanche beacons, pinpointed the likely location where the skiers were buried, estimated to be between 40 and nearly 100 feet deep. Unfortunately, due to the depth of the snow, the guides were unable to retrieve the three skiers. Poor weather conditions on Wednesday prevented helicopter flights and assessments of the area.
The missing skiers have been identified as David Linder, 39, from Florida; Charles Eppard, 39, from Montana; and Jeremy Leif, 38, from Minnesota. Crews were scheduled to conduct an aerial assessment of the avalanche site on Thursday to evaluate the avalanche risk and explore recovery options.
Alaska State Troopers expressed optimism that improved weather conditions on Thursday would allow for flights in the area. For further updates on this ongoing rescue operation, please contact Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY senior reporter, at nalund@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
