Alaska avalanche buries 3 backcountry skiers amid dangerous conditions
Avalanche danger remains considerable at Turnagain Pass, where this avalanche occurred about 45 minutes south of Anchorage. Three backcountry skiers are believed to be buried in 40 to 100 feet of snow.
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GIRDWOOD, Alaska – Three skiers in Alaska are believed to have been buried in an avalanche south of Anchorage and first responders are attempting to reach the victims buried in up to 100 feet of snow, according to Alaska Wildlife Troopers.
Troopers said they were notified about the avalanche on Tuesday around 5:10 p.m. AST near the West Fork of the 20-mile River in Girdwood, an Alaska resort town known for skiing.
Investigators determined that three adult heliskiers were caught in a large avalanche around 3:30 p.m.
Guides from the skiing company located the areas where the skiers were buried using avalanche beacons. However, they were unable to recover the skiers because of the deep snow. The skiers are buried in snow between 40 and 100 feet deep.
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With diminishing daylight and the high avalanche risk in West Fork, teams were unable to conduct a recovery on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Alaska Wildlife troopers will return to the area.
"If weather and conditions allow for it, Troopers plan to assess avalanche conditions from the air and determine recovery options with individuals that have experience making avalanche recoveries," Alaska Department of Public Safety Communications Director Austin McDaniel said in an email.
According to the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center, avalanche danger remains considerable at Turnagain Pass, where this avalanche occurred about 45 minutes south of Anchorage.
"There were multiple human-triggered avalanches yesterday, and the conditions today will be more dangerous," according to the forecast on Wednesday. "Natural and human triggered avalanches will be more likely where touchy wind slabs are forming and in areas such as Portage and Girdwood where more snow is expected to fall."