Authorities confirmed on Wednesday that three men on a helicopter skiing trip in the Alaska backcountry are presumed dead after being caught in a massive avalanche. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the Chugach Mountains near the town of Girdwood, about 40 miles southeast of Anchorage, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. State wildlife troopers were notified of the avalanche around 5 p.m. local time.
Preliminary investigations revealed that three heli-skiers were swept away by the avalanche at approximately 3:30 p.m. Guides from a commercial heli-skiing operation attempted to locate the skiers using avalanche beacons, estimating that they were buried under snow 40 to nearly 100 feet deep. Due to the depth, the bodies could not be recovered at the time.
Recovery operations were postponed on Tuesday due to the high avalanche risk and limited daylight. Officials planned to assess the area on Wednesday to determine the feasibility of a recovery operation once weather conditions improved. Poor weather prevented helicopter flights and hindered assessment efforts by state troopers, avalanche experts, and recovery teams.
The avalanche occurred in the west fork of the Twentymile River near Girdwood, an area accessible only by air. The victims, all male and out-of-state residents, were clients of Chugach Powder Guides, a local company specializing in heli-skiing. Witnesses reported that the skiers deployed avalanche airbags in an attempt to stay on the surface of the avalanche. One member of the group escaped unharmed.
Chugach Powder Guides, operating in Girdwood for 25 years, did not immediately respond to media inquiries. The company offers day heli-skiing trips, allowing skiers to access remote backcountry areas via helicopter for off-piste skiing. Avalanche experts had warned of unstable snow conditions in the area prior to the incident, noting an increased risk of triggering avalanches.
As the search for the missing skiers continues, safety officials are hopeful that improved weather conditions will facilitate recovery efforts.
Human-triggered avalanches occurred on Tuesday and could happen again in areas expecting snowfall. “We regret to inform you of an avalanche that led to multiple fatalities in the west fork of the Twentymile River yesterday afternoon. Our deepest sympathies are with the friends and families of those affected,” stated the center on Wednesday.
The incident on Tuesday marks Alaska’s first fatal avalanche of the season, making it the deadliest since February 2023, when an avalanche claimed the lives of three climbers in Washington state.
Every winter, 25 to 30 individuals lose their lives in avalanches in the U.S., with a majority involving backcountry skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers. Prior to Tuesday, 15 people had already perished in avalanches across the U.S. this winter.
In the most recent incident on February 28 in Washington state, three snowmobilers triggered a large slab avalanche. One person was buried and killed, while another was injured.
This tragic event underscores the inherent dangers of snow sports and serves as a stark reminder to exercise caution in avalanche-prone areas.
