Experts and recovery teams hope to reach site of Alaska avalanche that buried 3 skiers

Authorities in Alaska said they would attempt Thursday to reach the site of an avalanche that trapped three skiers, who were believed to have died after being buried in snow.

Poor weather prevented Alaska State Troopers, avalanche experts and recovery teams from reaching the slide near Girdwood, about 40 miles (54 kilometers) south of Anchorage, on Wednesday, troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel said.

“We are optimistic that we will be able to conduct an aerial assessment today for avalanche safety considerations and to determine what recovery options may be possible,” McDaniel said in a Thursday email to The Associated Press. “The site is only accessible by air.”

The avalanche occurred Tuesday afternoon after a helicopter delivered skiers to a backcountry peak in the Chugach Mountains. Three skiers were caught in the avalanche and estimated to be under more than 30 feet (9 meters) of snow.

What happened?

Heli-ski clients and guides were on a mountain about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of the Girdwood airport when the avalanche began. The avalanche appeared to have begun at about 3,500 feet (1,066 meters) and came to rest around 700 feet (213 meters), said Tracey Knutson, a spokesperson for Chugach Powder Guides, which operated the trip.

Heli-skiers use helicopters to reach mountains in remote backcountry areas where there are no ski lifts . They then ski or snowboard down.

As the slide began, witnesses saw the men deploy their avalanche air bags — inflatable vests meant to keep avalanche victims above or near the surface, Knutson said.

The snow deposited by the avalanche was up to 100 feet (30 meters) deep, troopers said. The skiers were likely buried at depths greater than 30 feet (9 meters), Knutson said.

“Three guides on scene immediately issued a rescue alert and initiated rescue response,” Knutson said in a statement. As more guides from helicopters in the area arrived to help, they picked up signals from the victims’ emergency beacons but decided there were not enough resources on site to safely recover them Tuesday, Knutson said.

The victims were clients from out of state who had been skiing with a guide on a route that’s used regularly by the company, Knutson said,

Who were the victims?

Alaska State Troopers on Thursday released the identities of the three missing men caught in the slide: Dave Linder, 39, of Florida; Charles Eppard, 39, of Montana, and Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota.

Subarctic Media, which owns radio stations across Minnesota, said Linder, of Miami, was one of its owners.

Managing Partner Matt Ketelsen said Linder was on vacation with friends to do backcountry skiing in Alaska. Ketelsen said he didn’t have details about the avalanche.

“Dave was a great skier, a very confident, good skier,” Ketelsen said. “He’d done this before. This wasn’t new for him.”

Ketelsen described his business partner as a devoted father of three young boys.

“He loved the communities that his businesses and our radio stations served,” Ketelsen said.

“And it’s a sad day around here when you lose somebody that is really passionate about the business that they’re in.”

The Eppard family did not have immediate comment.

What caused the slide?

Experts did not want to speculate on Tuesday’s avalanche until they have had a chance to inspect the site.

However, an ongoing avalanche concern for the region has been a weak layer of snow that was buried up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) or more beneath the surface, said Andrew Schauer, lead avalanche forecaster with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center.

The center’s forecast for Tuesday for the Girdwood area listed the avalanche danger at high elevations as “considerable.”

More snow and wind Wednesday was adding weight “and making avalanches a little bigger and more likely,” Schauer said. Conditions were expected to remain dangerous even after the storm system passes.

Where did the avalanche occur?

The area where the slide occurred is the epicenter of skiing in Alaska.

Girdwood is a tourist community that caters to winter events, with downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Alyeska Resort in a spectacularly scenic location. After a gondola ride 3,200 feet (975 meters) up Mount Alyeska, diners can view seven glaciers from the restaurant named for that view.

But there are many other tourism and guiding companies that offer sled dog tours, ice climbing, ice skating, snowmobile and helicopter trips and excursions to glaciers.

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Bohrer contributed from Juneau, Alaska. Associated Press journalist Jennifer Kelleher contributed from Honolulu.