An Anchorage man snowboarding in the Cresnet Lake area was declared deceased after a fatal mishap near the Saddle Cabin late Saturday evening, AST reports.

Troopers received a report that 33-year-old Jeffery Cheng had been overtaken in an avalanche near Cresent Lake.

According to the report, his friends, Bryce Fischer, age 27, and Cody Lourie, age 33, found Cheng after the avalanche and dug him out of 6-foot of snow and administered life-saving efforts for 30 minutes.

With no cell service at the location, Fischer then left and traveled to the trailhead to call for help. US Forest Service, Alaska State Troopers, and Moose Pass EMS were called and responded to the scene utilizing snow machines.

The recovery teams got to Cheng’s location at 10:15 pm to find Cheng deceased. The victim was transported to the Carter Lake Trailhead where Peninsula Memorial was waiting to take possession of Cheng’s remains.

Cheng’s next of kin were notified of the incident and Cheng’s remains were turned over to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy.

Cheng’s death marks the first avalanche death of the winter season.

  avalanche, bryce fischer, cody lourie, cresent lake, death, deceased, ems, jeff cheng, moose pass, snowboarding, troopers