A Denali National Park employee was killed when he was caught in an avalanche he triggered while skiing a slope this week, officials said.
Eric Walter, 32, was backcountry skiing about 10 miles into the park when a witness saw him trigger an avalanche at about 1 p.m. on Thursday, according to a National Park Service statement.
Mountaineering rangers found an abandoned vehicle and spotted skis, “one vertical, one lying flat on the surface, as well as an orange bag,” among the debris from the avalanche. Rescuers flew to the site via helicopter and discovered Walter had died when they reached the scene. He had been skiing alone, the park service said.
Walter provided radio-based safety communications and dispatch services across Alaska.
“Our thoughts are with Eric’s family in this challenging time,” Denali National Park and Preserve Superintendent Brooke Merrell said in a statement. “We are also incredibly grateful for the professional and compassionate response of our Talkeetna mountaineering team.”
Avalanches kill 150 per year
More than 150 people are killed by avalanches worldwide every year, according to the National Weather Service. In about 90% of avalanche incidents, the snow slide is triggered by the victim themselves or a family member, the service said.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports that an average of 27 people die from being caught in avalanches in the United States each winter.
Denali National Park covers over 6 million acres of land and is home to the tallest peak in North America.
USA TODAY
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