Avalanche
Three backcountry skiers triggered an avalanche on February 13 on John Mountain in the Kenai Range of Alaska’s Chugach National Forest. The avalanche occurred more than a mile off Seward highway at a significant elevation and injured two of the three skiers. The third backcountry skier unfortunately died.
According to the press release by Alaska State Troopers, a 911 call was received around 2:45 p.m. that an avalanche had occurred east of the Seward Highway near mile 41 in the Chugach National Forest. Three adult male backcountry skiers were ascending a mountain to ski back down when they triggered an avalanche and were all swept away. Two of the men were able to extricate themselves but the third skier was unaccounted for. The pair was able to locate their friend and dug him out of the snow. He was unresponsive and the two skiers attempted resuscitation.
Cooper Landing Emergency Services, Moose Pass Fire, AST, Wildlife Troopers, and LifeMed Alaska were dispatched at 4:30 p.m. and took over resuscitation attempts but were unfortunately unsuccessful. He was pronounced deceased on scene, while the other two skiers were transported to a Kenai Peninsula area hospital by Cooper Landing Medics with serious but not life threatening head injuries.
The deceased man has been identified as 28-year-old Anchorage resident Joseph Allen. Allen’s body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage and his next of kin have been notified.
