A trio of skiers is likely buried under an avalanche near Anchorage, Alaska, that occurred Tuesday afternoon, but dangerous backcountry conditions have so far stymied recovery operations, officials announced.

The three missing skiers who were reportedly buried under up to 100 feet of snow after an avalanche in the Alaska backcountry earlier this week have been identified, Alaska State Troopers said Thursday.

It appears to be the first fatal avalanche this winter in Alaska and the country's deadliest since an avalanche in Washington's Cascade Mountains killed three climbers in 2023.