3 skiers presumed dead after being buried in a large avalanche in Alaska
Snowy mountains in Alyeska, Alaska, located about three miles away from the town of Girdwood. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Three heli-skiers are presumed dead after they were caught in an avalanche Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday in a statement. The large avalanche buried the skiers at about 3:30 p.m. local time near Girdwood, about 40 miles southwest of Anchorage.
"Guides from the commercial heli-skiing operation that the group was with immediately attempted to locate the three skiers," troopers wrote. "Using avalanche beacons, the guides identified a probable area where skiers were buried between 40 feet and nearly 100 feet deep. The guides were unable to recover the three skiers due to the depth."
"...Unfortunately, we do not believe that any of the three missing persons survived the avalanche," Trooper spokesman Austin McDaniel told Alaska Public Media adding that the heli-skiing flight was operated by Girdwood-based Chugach Powder Guides.
The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center indicated a significant avalanche risk in the area on Tuesday for elevations above 1,000 feet. The forecast highlighted the potential for human-triggered avalanches due to up to 2 feet of snow resting on a frost layer, which had accumulated additional snow from windy conditions.
Because of the significant avalanche risk and limited daylight, troopers called off recovery operations Tuesday and returned Wednesday to determine whether the skiers could be safely recovered. Their names have not yet been released.
The deaths mark the 16th, 17th and 18th avalanche deaths in the United States during the 2024-2025 winter season, according to the National Avalanche Center. Avalanches kill more people in National Forests than any other natural hazard, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., and nearly all of these deaths occur in National Forests.
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