Three skiers are believed to have died following an avalanche in Alaska’s backcountry on Tuesday, according to state troopers. The avalanche buried the skiers under snow that could be as deep as the height of a 10-story building.
Alaska state troopers have not yet been able to assess the site due to its remote location, but based on preliminary information from the operator, authorities do not expect any survivors. Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska state troopers, stated, “Unfortunately, we do not believe that any of the three missing persons survived the avalanche,” in a message to the Associated Press.
If the deaths are confirmed, this would mark the deadliest avalanche in the United States since three climbers were killed in a slide in Washington’s Cascade Mountains two years ago.
The avalanche occurred on Tuesday afternoon near Girdwood, a small skiing community located approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Anchorage. McDaniel explained that the troopers received a report of the incident, which involved multiple individuals who were heliskiing in the area near the west fork of 20 Mile River. The company that organized the ski trip attempted to recover the skiers but was unable to do so due to the snow’s depth.
State troopers planned to reach the site on Wednesday, but the area’s remote location may require the use of aircraft to access it.
Girdwood is well-known as the skiing capital of Alaska, home to the Hotel Alyeska at the base of Mount Alyeska, which offers skiing and snowboarding. The mountain’s summit features the Seven Glaciers Restaurant, named for its breathtaking views of seven glaciers.
According to the National Avalanche Center, around 25 to 30 people die in avalanches annually in the U.S.
This incident adds to a tragic winter season. On February 22, a skier was killed in an avalanche in central Colorado, near Berthoud Pass. This avalanche, triggered by a skier in the steep area known as “the Fingers,” was the second in the county that day. It marked Colorado’s third avalanche death of the winter, following a fatality just days earlier on February 20, when a snowboarder was killed west of Silverton.
Avalanche fatalities have occurred across the U.S. this winter. On February 17, three people died in separate avalanches: one near Lake Tahoe and two in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. A well-known outdoor guide was also killed in an avalanche in Utah on February 8.
The series of tragedies highlights the continuing danger posed by avalanches to those who venture into backcountry areas.
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