Three Heli-Skiers Presumed Dead in Alaska Avalanche

A massive avalanche near Girdwood, Alaska, buried three skiers under snow up to 100 feet deep, marking the deadliest U.S. avalanche since 2023.

The avalanche occurred Tuesday in the Chugach Mountains, approximately 40 miles south of Anchorage, Alaska, during a heli-skiing excursion.
The skiers, all out-of-state clients of Chugach Powder Guides, were buried under snow depths ranging from 40 to nearly 100 feet, making recovery efforts challenging.
Witnesses reported that the skiers deployed avalanche airbag systems, but these were not enough to prevent their burial in the massive slide.
Poor weather conditions, including rain, wind, and fog, have delayed recovery operations, with avalanche risks in the area remaining high due to unstable snow layers.
This incident adds to the 15 avalanche-related deaths already recorded in the U.S. this winter, highlighting the dangers of backcountry skiing and snowboarding.