2026-05-04

Alaska Heli-Ski Guide and Avalanche Educator Dies Following Chugach Mountains Avalanche





The Alaska backcountry community is mourning the loss of a respected guide and educator after a fatal avalanche accident in the Chugach Mountains, Alaska. Dylan Lenzie, a lead guide with Crown Mountain Guides, died Saturday, May 2, from injuries sustained in an avalanche three days earlier while working in the West Bench area of Gannett Glacier, south of Knik Glacier.



Related: Skiers Escape Unharmed After Being Carried 1,000 Feet by Large Avalanche in Chugach Mountains, AK



According to a joint statement from the company and his family, Lenzie was heli-ski guiding on Wednesday, April 29, when the avalanche occurred. He was quickly located by another guide, extracted from the snow, and transported by helicopter to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Though he was alive when he arrived at the medical center, he later succumbed to his injuries with family and close friends by his side.

Lenzie was a senior member of the guiding team and a well-known figure in Alaska’s avalanche education community. In addition to his work guiding, he served as a professional observer with the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center and was an instructor with the Alaska Avalanche School. “We are devastated to share that our friend and colleague… passed away from injuries sustained in an avalanche accident,” the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center said in a statement, adding that their thoughts are with his family and friends.



Originally from Wisconsin, Lenzie studied outdoor leadership and geography before moving to Alaska in 2018 through a role with the National Outdoor Leadership School. He later settled in Palmer, building a career that combined guiding, teaching, and avalanche forecasting.

Tributes from across the mountain community have emphasized both his professional skill and personal character. Crown Mountain Guides described him as “the kind of person you wanted in the helicopter with you… on the boot pack with you… at the table at the end of the day,” adding that “the mountains are quieter without him.”



Related: I Camped on a Glacier in Alaska with 3 Finnish Dudess and Had a Life Changing Experience



The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center called his death “a heavy loss for the Alaskan avalanche community,” while others highlighted his ability to connect with students and clients and his passion for sharing the backcountry.

The avalanche that took Lenzie’s life occurred outside of a formal forecast zone.

Further details about memorial services and ways to support his family are expected to be shared in the coming days.

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