Michael Hamilton, a well-known Valdez heli-ski guide, died in an avalanche while scouting a run for guests in the Chugach Mountains on April 25, 2022. Hamilton was identified by Alaska State Troopers on April 28, and his death has left a "huge hole in the community," according to the Valdez Avalanche Center. Avalanche conditions in much of Southcentral Alaska and the Copper River Basin have been increasingly dangerous this week due to rising temperatures, making the snowpack unstable. Several avalanches in recent days have involved people, and the Chugach National Forest center has issued a warning for very dangerous avalanche conditions in Turnagain Pass.