The three missing skiers who were reportedly buried under up to 100 feet of snow after an avalanche in the Alaska backcountry earlier this week have been identified, Alaska State Troopers said Thursday.

Poor weather prevented Alaska State Troopers, avalanche experts and recovery teams from reaching the slide near Girdwood, about 40 miles (54 kilometers) south of Anchorage, on Wednesday, troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel said. Officials said they were optimistic that weather conditions would improve enough for flights on Thursday.

A trio of skiers is likely buried under an avalanche near Anchorage, Alaska, that occurred Tuesday afternoon, but dangerous backcountry conditions have so far stymied recovery operations, officials announced.