Update: From the Anchorage Daily News…Ian had surgery on one leg for, what he reports to WEB, was a tib-fib break:
Ian LaCroix Avalanche Accident
Woodstock Early Bird is a little slow in getting this news out to you….that Ian Lacroix, a recently of Woodstock, narrowly avoided death by avalanche during a backcountry ski expedition in Alaska last weekend.
WEB enjoyed discussing the wonders of Alaska with Lacroix last summer as he spoke to us about his excitement about plans to spend time with his brother and for some amazing skiing.
We wish him well. Ian tells WEB he’ll be staying put in Alaska for a week or so until he is able to comfortably sit and endure the flight back East.
Alaska Air Guard rescues backcountry skier after avalanche
by The Associated Press 05:51 PM, Sunday, March 18
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A New York man suffered a broken ankle after being swept up in an avalanche while backcountry skiing south of Anchorage, and was flown to a hospital by an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter.
Ian Lacroix, 22, was in a party of three skiers Friday night in Turnagain Pass, along with his brother, Nathan Lacroix, 28, of Anchorage, and Connor Maloney, 23, of Girdwood.
The Anchorage Daily News (http://bit.ly/w611fO) reports the avalanche was triggered at about 8 p.m. on Tin Can Mountain.
It enveloped Ian Lacroix, but as the snow moved down the mountain, Lacroix rolled out.
“Apparently when the avalanche hit, he got partially swallowed by it and then spit back out as it was spreading out lower down,” said Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters.
The slide broke Lacroix’s ankle.
His brother remained with the injured skier, and Maloney skied out to call troopers shortly after 10 p.m.
Troopers request ed help from the Guard’s Rescue Coordination Center. Rescuers launched an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter at about 1 a.m.
Guardsmen said in a news release that the two brothers placed a splint on Ian Lacroix’s ankle and attempted to ski to the road but did not get far. The helicopter with six crew members on board reached them at about 1:10 a.m. They were flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center.
The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center listed avalanche danger in Turnagain Pass on Saturday as “moderate,” a step up from the lowest rating, but warned of 2 feet of recent new snow on top of lingering instability in the snowpack.
Ian Lacroix’s hometown was not immediately available.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 