Search and rescue operations have been ongoing in the remote Alaskan mountain range after three skiers were swept away by an avalanche. It is believed that the skiers are buried under a massive layer of snow, roughly equivalent to the height of a 10-story building. The tragic incident, if confirmed, would mark the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. since a similar event in Washington’s Cascade Mountains two years ago.
Alaska State Troopers have been unable to reach the avalanche site but have stated that based on information provided by the operator, it is unlikely that any of the three missing skiers survived the avalanche. The skiers were dropped off by helicopter for a backcountry skiing adventure in the Girdwood area, a popular ski community located about 40 miles south of Anchorage.
Guides from the heli-skiing company attempted to locate the missing skiers using avalanche beacons, identifying a probable burial site where the victims are believed to be trapped beneath 40 to 100 feet of snow. The heli-skiing operator involved in the incident is known as Chugach Powder Guides, one of Alaska’s original heli-ski operators.
Eyewitnesses reported that as the avalanche began, the skiers deployed their avalanche air bags, inflatable vests designed to keep victims near the surface of the snow. Unfortunately, only one person in the group was not caught in the avalanche, which started at an altitude of approximately 3,500 feet and ended around 700 feet.
The avalanche occurred in an area along the Twentymile River, about 8 miles northeast of Girdwood’s airport. The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center had previously warned of considerable avalanche danger in the Turnagain Pass area where the incident took place, advising travelers to avoid steep slopes due to the high risk of triggering avalanches.
This winter has seen a significant number of avalanche fatalities across the U.S., with 15 people losing their lives in avalanches before this latest tragedy. The victims included backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and a ski patroller. Notable incidents include a snowmobiler being buried and killed in an avalanche last Friday in Washington state, as well as a nurse losing her life in Wyoming after being caught in an avalanche.
The National Avalanche Center reports that each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches across the United States, with Colorado and Alaska recording the highest number of avalanche deaths in recent decades. The dangers of backcountry skiing and snowboarding are highlighted by the recent spike in avalanche-related fatalities, underscoring the importance of proper safety measures and awareness when venturing into avalanche-prone terrain.