Outdoors/Adventure

Friends retrieve body of outdoorsman killed in Alaska avalanche

FAIRBANKS -- A man who escaped an avalanche in the Alaska Range in early December returned to the site with another man over the course of two days to retrieve the body of Erik Peterson, who died in the same avalanche.

Mike Hopper, 63, who managed to dig himself out of the snow and Daniel Perpich, an Army veteran and friend of Peterson, brought Peterson's body to the Alaska State Troopers at Delta on Tuesday. They returned to the site of the slide on both Monday and Tuesday to attempt the recovery. They also found Hopper's dog Rowdy in the recovery effort, who died in the avalanche, which had carried them down a hillside about 150 yards.

"The only comfort in the recovery was discovering that Erik did not die alone. We found Rowdy curled up like he had gone to sleep against his back, with his right paw on his shoulder," Hopper said Wednesday.

Memorial services for Peterson, 35, have been held at the Black Rapids Lodge, attended by many friends from Delta, and in Anchorage, where he had coached high school sports, Hopper said. In addition to his work as a coach, Peterson was a hiker, skier, climber and traveler.

"His memorial was a really moving tribute from his former athletes. We heard over and over how much Erik believed in his kids and loved working with them. He was truly a gifted and giving young man," said Hopper.

Dermot Cole

Former ADN columnist Dermot Cole is a longtime reporter, editor and author.

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