DENALI PARK, ALASKA: An employee of the National Park Service lost his life in a tragic avalanche incident during his backcountry skiing in Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve on Thursday. Around 1 pm, a witness saw Eric Walter start the slide while on a solo ski trip, the park claims. At that point, rangers were sent to the area near the Savage River to search for any possible casualties.
The frequency of avalanche incidents has grown alongside the growing popularity of backcountry recreation. Just last month, two people were caught in avalanches in Southcentral Alaska, but they were only slightly hurt, as per AK. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports that Walter was the first avalanche fatality in Alaska in 2023.
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Who was Eric Walter?
The park announced in a prepared statement that Eric Walter, who provided radio-based safety support and dispatch services for National Park Service operations in Alaska, died in the avalanche on Thursday. The skier was seen triggering an avalanche on an unidentified north-facing hill about 10 miles into the vast area, according to a person who spoke with the kennel staff.
How did Eric Walter die?
Responding rangers discovered an empty truck that was parked nearly a mile from the avalanche site. A ranger searched the avalanche debris with a spotting scope for survivors. One ski was vertical and the other was resting flat on the ground when the ranger observed them, according to the statement. The mountaineering crew for the park, situated in nearby Talkeetna, flew there in a hired helicopter. The skier, eventually identified as Walter, was found dead, according to two rangers, as per CBS.
'Died way too young'
Friends and family are mourning the loss of Walter, who was described as "kind" by a friend. Kristin Knight Pace took to Facebook and wrote, "My kind friend Eric Walter died way too young while doing something he loved. He had a special place in his heart for the Denali sled dogs and adopted Moose’s brother Fin. His death has rattled the Denali community, and my heart is with all my friends who are reeling from this loss today. Love you, guys." Walter's aunt commented on the post and said, "Hi, I am Eric’s Aunt. Thank you for your kind words. His family is devastated and heartbroken." "Our thoughts are with Eric’s family in this challenging time," Brooke Merrell, superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve, said in a statement. "We are also incredibly grateful for the professional and compassionate response of our Talkeetna mountaineering team."