Alaska rescuers have found and identified the remains of Charles Eppard, who was among three friends who died in an avalanche earlier this year.
Eppard, 39, was on a backcountry ski trip in March with friends Jeremy Leif, 38, of Minnesota, and David Linder, 39, a Minnesota radio station owner. The three were dropped off by helicopter in the Chugach Mountains, near the resort town of Girdwood and were last seen skiing.
In March, rescuers had to cut their search short due to the risk of more avalanches. At the time, officials believed the men were buried under 40 to 100 feet of snow.
Linder’s body was found last month in a logjam in a river. Eppard’s body was found in the area of the avalanche and was recovered by the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group with the help of an Alaska Department of Public Safety helicopter, according to a news release.
The search continues for Leif, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
Eppard grew up in Mankato, graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and most recently resided in Montana. Eppard is survived by his wife and daughter, according to a GoFundMe page.
“An avid outdoorsman, Charlie found peace and purpose in nature,” according to the GoFundMe. “His love for skiing and fly fishing was matched only by his infectious enthusiasm for life. He had an innate ability to find excitement in the simplest of moments, reminding us all to live with joy and anticipation.”
