An American and two Austrian elite climbers are believed to have perished when they were struck by an avalanche in a remote area of the Canadian Rockies, The Washington Post reports. Jess Roskelley, 36, of Spokane, Washington, David Lama, 28, and Hansjörg Auer, 35, both of Austria, are described as the world’s “most venerated alpine climbers.” They were scaling Howse Peak, which Parks Canada calls “a remote and an exceptionally difficult objective, with mixed rock and ice routes requiring advanced alpine mountaineering skills,” when an avalanche struck. “Based on the assessment of the scene, all three members of the party are presumed to be deceased,” Parks Canada said in a statement late Thursday.