ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three skiers who had been airlifted by helicopter to a secluded mountain range were tragically swept away by an avalanche and are presumed to have lost their lives under the massive snowfall, nearly as tall as a 10-story building, Alaska State Troopers announced on Wednesday. Should the fatalities be confirmed, it would mark the deadliest avalanche incident in the U.S. since three climbers perished in a similar tragedy in Washington’s Cascade Mountains two years ago.
While Alaska troopers have yet to assess the precise location, Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, shared in a message to The Associated Press, “Based on the information provided by the operator, unfortunately, we do not believe that any of the three missing persons survived the avalanche.” The avalanche struck three heli-skiers late Tuesday afternoon near the skiing enclave of Girdwood, situated about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Anchorage.
Heli-skiers utilize helicopters to access remote backcountry terrains where traditional ski lifts are absent, before embarking on skiing or snowboarding adventures down the slopes. Guides from a heli-skiing company made efforts to locate the skiers using avalanche beacons and identified a possible area where the skiers were buried under 40 feet (12 meters) to 100 feet (30 meters) of snow, McDaniel reported.
“The guides were unable to retrieve the three skiers due to the significant depth of snow. Owing to the high risk of additional avalanches in the area and diminishing daylight, no further recovery operations were conducted on March 4,” he added. “Should weather and conditions permit, Troopers intend to assess the avalanche situation from the air and explore recovery options with seasoned avalanche recovery experts.”
The heli-ski operator involved was Chugach Powder Guides, according to McDaniel. A representative at the company declined to provide an immediate comment when contacted by phone. The company’s website characterizes Chugach Powder Guides as one of the pioneering heli-ski operators in Alaska.
The avalanche occurred 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the Girdwood airport, in an area near the Twentymile River, as detailed by the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center. The center’s forecast for the Turnagain Pass region, encompassing the Girdwood vicinity, had rated the avalanche danger as “considerable” on Tuesday for higher elevations.
Girdwood is renowned as the skiing hub of Alaska, housing the Alyeska Resort at the foot of Mount Alyeska, where skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts revel in breathtaking vistas of Turnagain Arm. At the summit of the mountain lies the Seven Glaciers Restaurant, known for its panoramic views.
Each winter, an estimated 25 to 30 individuals succumb to avalanches in the U.S., as per the National Avalanche Center. Colorado has
Skiers and snowboarders, along with four individuals riding snow machines and a ski patroller, were involved in recent avalanches as reported by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The most recent incident occurred last Friday in Washington state, where three snowmobilers were trapped in a slide, resulting in the tragic death of one person and injuring a second individual in the Harts Pass area. Additionally, a fatal avalanche claimed the life of one person in central Colorado on February 22nd. Authorities in Grand County responded to a skier-triggered avalanche in a steep region known as “The Fingers” above Berthoud Pass.
In separate incidents, three individuals lost their lives in avalanches on February 17th — one near Lake Tahoe and two backcountry skiers in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. On February 8th, a reputable outdoor guide was caught in an avalanche in Utah, leading to their unfortunate passing. This information was contributed to the report by Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer from Juneau and Matthew Brown from Billings, Montana.
