Avalanche carried 3 men down steep gully Tuesday and killed them, report says Published February 5
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Print article Three men were climbing a challenging portion of Bear Mountain near Chugiak on Tuesday when they likely triggered a wind slab avalanche that partially buried and killed them, according to a preliminary report from the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center. On Tuesday morning, 54-year-old Thomas Devine of Chugiak, 43-year-old Matthew Nyman of Denver, Colorado, and 50-year-old Edward Watson of Miami, Florida, began to hike toward the northern face of the mountain, which lies in Chugach State Park near Mirror Lake and Peters Creek. A relatively popular hiking destination, Bear Point sits on the south side of the mountain, but the northern face is much steeper and more technical, according to Wendy Wagner, director of the avalanche center.
The three men were on a technical route through a steep, narrow gully on the northwest face of Bear Mountain when they were caught in an avalanche, a troopers spokesman said.