It appears to be the first fatal avalanche this winter in Alaska and the country's deadliest since an avalanche in Washington's Cascade Mountains killed three climbers in 2023.

The three men killed Tuesday by a massive avalanche during a guided heli-skiing trip in the Chugach Mountains near Girdwood came together in Alaska after meeting years ago in Minnesota.

Dangerous avalanche conditions in the area persist, stalling recovery efforts and prompting warnings from forecasters.

Minnesotans were in a group of skiers who are missing after an avalanche south of Anchorage this week, authorities have confirmed.

Charlie Eppard, originally from Mankato, and Jeremy Leif are two of the three skiers who went missing following an avalanche near a ski resort in Alaska.

Officials at the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center have confirmed that three skiers on a heli-skiing tour died in an avalanche near Girdwood, Alaska, southeast of Anchorage, this week. The avalanche occurred on March 4 at about 3:30 pm.

A massive avalanche in Alaska has buried three skiers, who are now presumed dead, while a fourth skier managed to escape unharmed. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities battle harsh conditions to locate the missing.