In a tragic incident that occurred in March, three heli-skiers lost their lives in a massive avalanche in the rugged terrain of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains. The victims, identified as David Linder, 39, Charles Eppard, 39, and Jeremy Leif, 38, were part of a guided heli-skiing expedition near Girdwood when they were engulfed by the avalanche. The Alaska State Troopers had previously reported that the skiers were likely buried under snow piles ranging from 40 to nearly 100 feet deep.
On a recent Friday, a team of volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and the Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department returned to the avalanche site. They discovered the remains of one of the skiers, which had become entangled in a log jam in the river flowing beneath the avalanche slide area. The identity of the skier has not been disclosed, and the remains are being sent to the State Medical Examiner for autopsy and identification.
The search for the men had been delayed due to poor weather conditions that made helicopter flights impossible and the risk of another avalanche. A fourth skier, who was part of the group, was rescued. He recounted hearing a terrified voice shouting “avalanche” over the radio just before the massive wall of snow descended upon them at an altitude of 3,500 feet.
David Linder, a resident of Miami, was a co-owner of Sub Arctic Media, a company that operates over 20 talk shows and music radio stations across Minnesota, including Radio Mankato. Charles Eppard, from Bigfork, Montana, was remembered as a loving father, devoted husband, and a hardworking employee in a GoFundMe campaign set up to support his family. Eppard, who worked in software, is survived by his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Belen.
Jeremy Leif, a resident of Minneapolis, was the CEO of Leif Consulting Group, a company he founded in December 2023. A dedicated Minnesota Vikings fan, Leif is survived by his wife and two children. The deaths of Linder, Eppard, and Leif represent the deadliest US avalanche since three climbers were killed in a snow slide in Washington’s Cascade Range in 2023.
Authorities have planned additional flight and ground operations to search for and recover the two other missing men.