Alaska State Troopers, an Alaska State Parks Ranger, the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, and Alaska Search and Rescue Dogs scrambled to the scene of a reported avalanche after a call was made to the Anchorage Police Department reporting a person had been swept away near Little O’Malley Park on Sunday.

Although Helo-2 was requested, it was unable to respond because of adverse weather conditions.

Searchers combed the area and found a small avalanche debris field after they arrived on-scene, but search efforts came up empty-handed.

The caller was not initially located. Cell phone data showed that the caller had been between Little O’Malley and False O’Malley Peaks in the Glenn Alps area outside of Anchorage when the call was made. Further investigation by the Soldotna Public Safety Dispatch would reveal further, newer cell phone data from the caller’s phone at a residence in Anchorage.

Police responded to the location given by Soldotna dispatch, and contacted a 17-year-old female who they identified as only S.G. S.G. told police that she had made the call reporting the avalanche , but, had been mistaken about someone being swept away in it. She also told officers that she could not call back to update police of the incident, or answer any of the repeated calls to her cell.

Following this revelation, searchers suspended their search. No reports of overdue hikers have been received by authorities.

Troopers report that all searchers were able to exit the area safely.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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