Avalanche buries at least 3 skiers near Anchorage, Alaska, officials say

Mark Thiessen · The Associated Press

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 12:17 PM EST | Last Updated: March 5

An avalanche successful Alaska backcountry swept up and buried 3 skiers nether a broad of snowfall that could beryllium arsenic heavy arsenic a 10-storey building, Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday.

While troopers person not been capable to measure the tract yet, "based connected the accusation provided by the operator, unfortunately, we bash not judge that immoderate of the 3 missing persons survived the avalanche," Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, said successful a substance to The Associated Press.

If the deaths are confirmed, it would beryllium the deadliest U.S. avalanche since 3 climbers were killed successful a descent successful Washington's Cascade Mountains 2 years ago.

The descent happened precocious Tuesday day adjacent the skiing assemblage of Girdwood, located astir 64 kilometres south of Anchorage, said McDaniel.

Guides from the heli-skiing institution attempted to find the skiers. Using avalanche beacons, the guides identified a probable country wherever the skiers were buried, astatine a extent of 12 to 30 metres, McDaniel said successful a aboriginal email.

"The guides were incapable to retrieve the 3 skiers owed to the depth. Due to sizeable avalanche hazard successful this country and constricted daylight, nary further betterment operations were conducted connected March 4," helium said. "If upwind and conditions let for it, Troopers program to measure avalanche conditions from the aerial and find betterment options with individuals that person acquisition making avalanche recoveries."

The avalanche tract is astir 13 kilometres northeast of the airdrome successful Girdwood.

Girdwood is the skiing superior of Alaska, and location to the Alyeska Resort, astatine the basal of Mount Alyeska, wherever radical downhill skis oregon snowboard amid stunning views of Turnagain Arm. At the apical of the upland is the Seven Glaciers Restaurant, named for its view.

Heli-skiing is utilizing a chopper to scope the apical of a upland successful distant backcountry areas wherever determination are nary skis lifts, and a idiosyncratic either skis oregon snowboards down the mountain.

Each winter, 25 to 30 radical dice successful avalanches successful the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.

Fifteen radical person been killed crossed the U.S. by avalanches truthful acold this winter. Among them were 10 backcountry skiers oregon snowboarders, 4 radical connected snowfall machines and a skis patroller, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Colorado experiences the astir avalanche deaths, with 325 radical killed since 1950. Alaska ranks second, with 172 deaths successful that clip period, according to the centre.

In 2021, Czech billionaire Petr Kellner and 4 others died successful a chopper clang during a heliskiing circuit adjacent Knik Glacier, successful the Chugach Mountains conscionable northbound of Anchorage. A twelvemonth later, a heli-ski usher scouting an country for clients died erstwhile an avalanche carried his assemblage astir 1500 feet (457 meters) down a mountain, Alaska State Troopers said astatine the time.