Additional Coverage:
Body of Skier Missing Since March Avalanche Recovered in Alaska Backcountry; Two Others Still Missing
Authorities announced Tuesday the recovery of the body of one of three skiers caught in a massive avalanche in the Alaska backcountry seven months ago. Two other men remain missing following the March incident near Girdwood.
The recovered remains were discovered in a logjam within a river flowing beneath the avalanche slide area. The identity of the skier has not yet been released, with the Alaska Department of Public Safety stating the remains have been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.
David Linder, 39, Charles Eppard, 39, and Jeremy Leif, 38, were heli-skiing near Girdwood on March 4 when they were engulfed by the powerful avalanche. Heli-skiing is an off-trail or downhill skiing activity where skiers are transported to mountain tops by helicopter rather than traditional ski lifts.
At the time of the incident, the Alaska Department of Public Safety indicated the men were believed to be buried under 40 to 100 feet of snow and ice, expressing doubts about their survival. Initial search and recovery efforts were severely hampered by adverse weather conditions and significant safety concerns, preventing teams from accessing the unstable slide area.
Updates from the department in early March highlighted the “challenging location” of the presumed burial site and the impossibility of recovery operations until conditions improved. A statement from the department at the time acknowledged the difficulty for loved ones but emphasized the paramount importance of safety for recovery personnel.
Last Friday, volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and the Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department returned to the slide area via helicopter, successfully recovering the remains of one skier.
The department confirmed that additional operations are scheduled to continue the search for and recovery of the two remaining missing skiers.
The Public Safety Department and the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.