3 skiers are believed to be buried under an avalanche in Alaska

By Elizabeth Wolfe and Graham Hurley, CNN

(CNN) — A trio of skiers is likely buried under an avalanche near Anchorage, Alaska, that occurred Tuesday afternoon, but dangerous backcountry conditions have so far stymied recovery operations, officials announced.

The three missing adults had flown by helicopter to the snowy mountain range for skiing, known as heli-skiing, near the resort town of Girdwood, the Alaska State Troopers said in a news release. The slide happened around 3:30 p.m. local time.

The skiers have been identified as David Linder, 39, of Florida; Charles Eppard, 39, of Montana; and Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota, according to state troopers.

“Guides from the commercial heliskiing operation that the group was with immediately attempted to locate the three skiers,” the news release said.

The commercial guides used avalanche beacons – radio tracking devices worn by skiers – to identify the area where the skiers were likely buried but were unable to reach them because they were under 40 to 100 feet of snow.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified of the avalanche and missing skiers around 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, but they were not able to begin recovery efforts because of waning daylight and hazardous avalanche conditions.

Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, said troopers had yet to access the site early Wednesday afternoon but “based on the information provided by the operator, unfortunately, we do not believe that any of the three missing persons survived the avalanche.”

Poor weather conditions prevented any rescue crews or helicopter flights from reaching the slide area on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, troopers and recovery experts planned an aerial assessment of the area to assess recovery options.

Tuesday’s heli-sking trip was operated by Girdwood-based Chugach Power Guides, according to McDaniel. When reached by phone, a Chugach staff member declined to comment.

Tracy Knutson, a spokesperson for Chugach Powder, told the Associated Press the victims, all men, were clients from out of state who had been skiing with a guide on a run used regularly by the company.

As the slide began, Knutson said, witnesses saw the men deploy their avalanche air bags — inflatable vests meant to keep avalanche victims above or near the surface. A fourth person in the group was not caught in the avalanche, she said.

If the deaths are confirmed, it would be the deadliest US avalanche since three climbers were killed in a slide in Washington’s Cascade Range two years ago, AP reported.

Each winter, between 25 and 30 people die in avalanches in the US, according to the National Avalanche Center.

Heli-skiing is an advanced form of the sport in which skiers are transported by helicopter into backcountry areas that are typically difficult to access by foot or vehicle. The remote locations and relatively untouched terrain are highly coveted by experienced skiers but can also carry inherent risks. The wilderness settings have not been groomed by ski resorts or commercial companies, meaning skiers must be prepared for obstacles like trees or sudden avalanches.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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