ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The body of one of three men killed in an avalanche while heli-skiing near Girdwood last March was recovered last week, according to state officials.
The remains have not yet been identified, but Alaska State Troopers reported Tuesday that they were found last Friday caught in a log jam in a river flowing under the avalanche slide area.
The three heli-skiers were buried up to 100 feet deep in the March 4 avalanche that left 39-year-old David Linder of Florida, 39-year-old Charles Eppard of Montana, and 38-year-old Jeremy Leif of Minnesota dead.
Troopers identify 3 heli-skiers confirmed dead after being swept up in avalanche near Girdwood(KTUU)
The avalanche hit near the west fork of Twentymile River, troopers said, about 10 miles south down the Seward Highway from Girdwood.
At the time, conditions presented too great a danger to safely find and recover the bodies, troopers said, forcing authorities to wait for a better window to do so.
Chugach Powder Guides was the company providing access to the slopes for the heli-skiers and confirmed with witnesses that the three men deployed their avalanche airbags as they were being swept away.
Eppard’s brother, Jon, told Alaska’s News Source earlier this year that all three men who died were good friends on vacation together, adding that they were part of a bigger group who had come to Alaska specifically to ski in the mountains. Even though the men lived in different states, all of them grew up together in Mankato, Minnesota.
The remains were found Friday with help from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and the Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department, which flew to the site of the avalanche on a Department of Public Safety helicopter.
The body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and positive identification, troopers said. His identity will be released once it is confirmed. Troopers said next of kin have been notified.
Additional flights and ground operations will be conducted to find the remains of the other two heli-skiers, troopers said.
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