Authorities likely killed three skiers Wednesday when an avalanche swept them through remote Alaska mountain ranges.
According to the Alaska Troopers, the three adult skiers flew helicopters into a remote backcountry in the Chugach Mountains near Guardwood, a ski community about 40 miles south of Anchorage.
According to the troopers, after the slide caught the skiers, the heli-ski company guided the group immediately tried to find the three missing skiers.
The guide used avalanche beacons to identify areas where skiers were likely buried under the snow, near 40-100 feet. The Troopers said the skiers were unable to recover quickly due to the depths they were buried.
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On June 14th, 2021, a block of ice floats past the Portage Glacier near Guardwood, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Tiessen)
Troopers were unable to rate the site, but spokesman Austin McDaniel said he doesn't believe the three skiers survived the avalanche.
The Aliceka Highway sign refers to the winter tourism business in Gardwood, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Tiessen)
The Troopers said “substantial avalanche risk” and limited sunlight had hampered Tuesday's recovery operation.
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The three victims were all men out of state and clients with Chugach Powder Guides, company spokesman Tracey Knutson told The Associated Press. The fourth person in the group was not caught in an avalanche, she said.
The appearance of the Chugach Powder Guide will be displayed on March 5th, 2025 in Guardwood, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Teesun)
Witnesses saw the man deploy the avalanche airbags – an inflatable vest intended to keep the avalanche victims above or near the surface, adding that the scene's guide “issued a rescue alert and began a rescue response.”
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So far, this winter, the avalanche has killed 15 people across the United States on Friday. Three snowmobiles buried one and killed him, and were caught up in a slide that was injured for two seconds in Washington State.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
