A 17-year-old man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Hatcher Pass Monday, according to Alaska State Troopers.
The mountain pass, about an hour north of Anchorage, is a popular area for winter recreation.
Troopers said officers responded to the area near mile 16 of the Palmer Fishhook Road just after 4 p.m.
The agency says the man was snowboarding when he was caught and buried in an avalanche. Rescuers found him and brought him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center, more than 30 inches of snow accumulated at the pass over the weekend, creating dangerous avalanche conditions. The center warned of possible natural avalanches and likely human triggered avalanches Monday. The center says dangerous conditions persist in the area.
The Avalanche Center is requesting that the public stay out of the 16 mile area from Fishhook Creek to Archangel Road Tuesday, to allow forecasters to assess the area where the avalanche occurred. They say this avalanche occurred at low elevation.
