Two men were hurt in an avalanche Friday afternoon while skiing near Falls Creek Trail. Both were able to dig themselves out and were later airlifted to hospitals in Anchorage; a third skier with the group was not injured.
Officials say the call came in about 2:24 p.m. when three men were descending a snow chute in the Falls Creek area. An avalanche carried two of the skiers, but both managed to free themselves before rescuers arrived.
A rescue helicopter responded with a member of a mountain rescue team on board. The aircraft landed close to the scene and carried one of the injured skiers to a landing zone near mile 106 of the Seward Highway, where local fire responders met him and transported him by ambulance to an Anchorage hospital.
The second injured skier was flown by helicopter directly to an Anchorage hospital around 5:51 p.m. Authorities have not released details on the severity of either person’s injuries. The third member of the party did not require medical attention.
Rescue personnel and local officials remind backcountry users to check current avalanche conditions, carry proper safety gear, and ski with partners who know how to respond in an emergency. Mountain conditions can change quickly, and preparedness is a key part of reducing risk.
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