CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

2024/02/02 - Alaska - Lake George, Chugach Mountains

Published 2024/02/07 by Spencer Logan - Forecaster, CAIC

Avalanche Details

  • Location: Lake George, Chugach Mountains
  • State: Alaska
  • Date: 2024/02/02
  • Time: Unknown
  • Summary Description: 1 heliskier caught and killed
  • Primary Activity: Mechanised Guiding Client
  • Primary Travel Mode: Ski

Number

  • Caught: 1
  • Fully Buried: 0
  • Injured: 0
  • Killed: 1

Avalanche

  • Type: L
  • Trigger: AS - Skier
  • Trigger (subcode): u - An unintentional release
  • Size - Relative to Path: --
  • Size - Destructive Force: --
  • Sliding Surface: --

Site

  • Slope Aspect: --
  • Site Elevation: --
  • Slope Angle: --
  • Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

PRELIMINARY: A heliski client triggered a loose-snow avalanche (sluff) on his first turn down a slope. He was caught in the moving snow, which entrained additional snow as it moved downhill. The skier was pushed into a rock band and seriously injured. He was flown to a hospital in Anchorage, where he later died. 

Alaska News Source article