Skiers feared dead in Alaska avalanche
Authorities believe a group of skiers are buried under approximately 30 metres of snow in a remote southern mountain range.
A group of skiers are feared dead after being swept away by an avalanche in the south of Alaska.
The three skiers who had flown by helicopter to the remote area are believed to be buried under the weight of snow nearly as deep as a 10-storey building, state troopers say.
If the deaths are confirmed, it would be the deadliest US avalanche since three climbers were killed in a slide in Washington’s Cascade Mountains two years ago.
While troopers have not been able to assess the site yet, “based on the information provided by the operator, unfortunately, we do not believe that any of the three missing persons survived the avalanche”, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska state troopers.
On March 4, 2025, at 5:10 pm, the Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified of an avalanche near the West Fork of 20 Mile River near Girdwood. A preliminary investigation determined three adult heliskiers were caught in a large avalanche around 3:30 pm. Guides from the commercial…
— Alaska State Troopers (@akstatetrooper) March 5, 2025
The avalanche happened late Tuesday afternoon (local time) near the skiing community of Girdwood, about 65 kilometres south of Anchorage, said McDaniel.
Guides from the heli-skiing company tried to locate the skiers. Using avalanche beacons, they identified a probable area where the skiers were buried, at a depth of up to 35 metres, McDaniel said.
“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 4,” he said.
“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.”
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The avalanche site is 13 kilometres north-east of the airport in Girdwood.
Girdwood is the skiing capital of Alaska, and home to the Alyeska Resort, at the base of Mount Alyeska, where people downhill ski or snowboard amid stunning views.
Heli-skiing is using a helicopter to reach the top of a mountain in remote areas where there are no ski-lifts, and a person either skis or snowboards down the mountain.
Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the US, according to the National Avalanche Centre.
