Hatcher Pass avalanche victim dies

An Anchorage woman died Monday from critical injuries she received in an avalanche at Hatcher Pass.

Rebecca Patton, 30, was taken from Valley Hospital to Providence Alaska Medical Center on Sunday after being buried about 40 minutes in an avalanche.

Patton and a friend were snowshoeing high on the Willow side of Hatcher Pass after climbing up the road from Hatcher Pass Lodge. A small wind-slab avalanche went out beneath them and Patton was carried 150 feet in the slide.

Patton had no pulse and was not breathing when she was found 40 minutes after the slide beneath three feet of snow.

At Providence, Patton was placed on life support and declared legally dead at about 2 p.m. Monday, said Alaska State Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson. At about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday she was taken off life support after family members arrived at the hospital.