Avalanche
[UPDATED: 12:10 p.m. PST]
On Tuesday at 3 p.m., multiple heli-skiers were trapped after an avalanche struck near Girdwood, Alaska. Due to deep snow conditions, rescuers were unable to reach them immediately.
The incident occurred near the west fork of Twentymile River. Alaska State Troopers (AST) received reports of the avalanche late Tuesday.
“The company that they were skiing with attempted to recover the skiers but were unable to due to the depth of the snow,” said Austin McDaniel, AST spokesman.
3 men, who were all from out of state, were killed in the avalanche, according to Anchorage Daily News. The slide measured more than a half-mile long and was estimated to be 40 to 100 feet deep, making it one of the most severe in recent history.
“A preliminary investigation determined three adult heliskiers were caught in a large avalanche around 3:30 pm. Guides from the commercial heliskiing operation that the group was with immediately attempted to locate the three skiers. Using avalanche beacons, the guides identified a probable area where skiers were buried between 40 feet and nearly 100 feet deep. The guides were unable to recover the three skiers due to the depth. Due to considerable avalanche risk in this area and limited daylight, no further recovery operations were conducted on March 4th.”
– AST
The victims were skiing with Girdwood-based Chugach Powder Guides. According to company spokesperson Tracey Knutson, the terrain was part of the company’s regular run list, and a guide was present at the time of the slide. Witnesses reported seeing all three victims deploy their avalanche airbags as the slide began. Another member of the group, who was not caught in the avalanche, was safely extricated. Three guides on the scene immediately initiated a rescue response, locating the victims’ emergency beacon signals, with one buried nearly 45 feet deep.
Efforts to recover the men were halted by helicopters and guides around 4:30 p.m. after conditions were deemed too dangerous. Troopers are assessing the area to determine whether a safe recovery operation is possible. “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,” spokesman Austin McDaniel said.
“It will be easy to trigger an avalanche up to 2’ deep on a layer of buried surface hoar. This can be found at mid and upper elevations and will be more concerning where fresh wind slabs have formed over this layer. Active wind loading is expected to create new wind slabs as well as add stress to cornices at upper elevations. This weak layer is tricky to assess so the safest option is to avoid steep slopes especially wind loaded terrain.”
– Yesterday’s avalanche forecast from the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center
The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center had warned of “considerable” avalanche danger at mid and upper elevations due to a weak snow layer buried up to two feet deep.
There have been 18 avalanche-related fatalities in the United States this season and two in Canada.
This is a developing story; we will bring updates as they are available.
