Overview

• The avalanche occurred Tuesday afternoon near the West Fork of Twentymile River, about 40 miles south of Anchorage, Alaska, during a heli-skiing expedition.
• The victims, identified as David Linder, 39, Charles Eppard, 39, and Jeremy Leif, 38, were buried under an estimated 40 to 100 feet of snow, making recovery efforts extremely challenging.
• Guides from Chugach Powder Guides used avalanche beacons to locate the probable burial site but were unable to recover the skiers due to the depth of the snow and ongoing avalanche risks.
• Poor weather conditions, including rain, wind, and fog, have delayed recovery operations, with authorities hoping for improved conditions to allow safe access to the site.
• This marks the deadliest U.S. avalanche since 2023 and highlights the considerable avalanche danger in the region, which was forecasted as high at the time of the incident.