Avalanche — Ne. Slopes of the Ern Ak Rng, Alaska

2004-04-10 · Ne. Slopes of the Ern Ak Rng, Alaska

Wider weather episode

An avalanche occurred in the Gun Creek canyon, during the annual Arctic Man Ski-N-Sno-go Classic held at Summit Lake. A 24 year old man was trying to free his snowmobile stuck near the bottom of the canyon. Two other traveling companions each left their snowmobiles and walked toward the man to assist him. The avalanche then started several hundred feet up the slope, and the three men ran to safety. Overtaken by the snow, one man managed to stay on the surface of the moving snow, and his son became buried but quickly dug himself out. The third man, whose snowmobile had been stuck, was buried and perished.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5387273. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.