Nearly eight months after the deadliest U.S. avalanche in two years, authorities say they have now recovered the bodies of two of the three men who were buried in up to 100 feet of snow.
The second body of the trio of heli-skiers trapped in the avalanche near Girdwood, Alaska, in March was recovered on Sunday, according to a statement on Tuesday from Alaska State Troopers.
“On November 2, 2025, DPS HELO 3 and a recovery team from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group were able to recover human remains from the slide area. The remains were taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for positive identification. Next of kin have been notified. The man’s identity will be released publicly once his identity has been positively confirmed,” the statement reads.
David Linder, 39, of Florida; Charles Eppard, 39, of Montana; and Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota were skiing with Chugach Powder Guides near the West Fork of 20 Mile River north of Girdwood, when the avalanche happened, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Linder’s body was recovered in October caught in a log jam in the river below the avalanche area, according to a dispatch from state troopers.
Bad weather prevented recovery teams from accessing the area of avalanche in the succeeding days of the avalanche, as reports indicated the men were buried between 40 and 100 feet of snow, according to authorities.
In a statement shortly after the avalanche, Chugach Powder Guides said it expressed “sincere condolences to the families involved and stands ready to assist them in any way possible.”
According to its website, the group is one of the oldest heli-sking companies in the state.
The third member of the trio is still missing and presumed dead.
