Avalanche Skier POV Helmet Cam Burial & Rescue in Haines, Alaska

M3Bahn · 12-04-2011, 08:19 PM

So as he drops in you can also see the sluff to the skier's right immediately start building....and that's actually the chute that was the intended route down. For whatever reason - well pure, unadulterated powder will do it to you - he didn't go make some strong "skier cuts" into the upper pack to do one final snow check as instructed by the main guide who was doing the "tail gunner" work.

Instead he just sent it. And it didn't take more than a few turns out on this big shoulder above this cliff band to break loose.

This was a decent sized avalanche. 1,500 feet the dude fell in a little over 20 seconds. The crown was about 1 - 1.5m. The chute that he got sucked through to the skier's right was flanked on either side by cliff bands that were about 30m tall. He luckily didn't break any bones and obviously didn't hit anything on the run out.

He was only buried for 4 and a half minutes which is incredibly short. I cannot stress these next sentences enough; that in and of itself to be unburied in ONLY 4:28 is miraculous if you have any understanding of being caught in an avalanche and what it takes to be found. It could literally be some kind of "world record" just on how good the guide and supporting cast of other skiers was in getting to him. It also shows why you should ALWAYS be going with people trained in avalanche rescue / first aid....as well as why you'd want to be going with a guided heli operation. Sure this was terrifying for him, but he would've probably been dead if not for going with a guide.

Spoolin335 · 12-05-2011, 12:02 AM

Pretty remarkable how fast they found him, must have had an avalanche pack on with a inflatable and a tracking device.

Mahmood07 · 12-05-2011, 12:31 AM

wow, I am claustrophobic so it felt difficult to breathe when he was under the snow

. Lucky guy!

E90SoFlo · 12-05-2011, 12:33 AM

I hope my friends find me that fast if I ever get caught in a slide.

M3Bahn · 12-05-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoolin335

Pretty remarkable how fast they found him, must have had an avalanche pack on with a inflatable and a tracking device.

Only reason they found him so quickly is because his glove came off and it was right above where he was buried.

NYCGP · 12-05-2011, 08:50 AM

Hearing him moaning/sobbing was really hard...

12-04-2011, 08:19 PM	#1
M3Bahn Lieutenant 321 Rep 483 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ATL iTrader: (0)	Avalanche Skier POV Helmet Cam Burial & Rescue in Haines, Alaska So as he drops in you can also see the sluff to the skier's right immediately start building....and that's actually the chute that was the intended route down. For whatever reason - well pure, unadulterated powder will do it to you - he didn't go make some strong "skier cuts" into the upper pack to do one final snow check as instructed by the main guide who was doing the "tail gunner" work. Instead he just sent it. And it didn't take more than a few turns out on this big shoulder above this cliff band to break loose. This was a decent sized avalanche. 1,500 feet the dude fell in a little over 20 seconds. The crown was about 1 - 1.5m. The chute that he got sucked through to the skier's right was flanked on either side by cliff bands that were about 30m tall. He luckily didn't break any bones and obviously didn't hit anything on the run out. He was only buried for 4 and a half minutes which is incredibly short. I cannot stress these next sentences enough; that in and of itself to be unburied in ONLY 4:28 is miraculous if you have any understanding of being caught in an avalanche and what it takes to be found. It could literally be some kind of "world record" just on how good the guide and supporting cast of other skiers was in getting to him. It also shows why you should ALWAYS be going with people trained in avalanche rescue / first aid....as well as why you'd want to be going with a guided heli operation. Sure this was terrifying for him, but he would've probably been dead if not for going with a guide. __________________ The journey is the reward.
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12-05-2011, 12:02 AM	#2
Spoolin335 Justin Herass 333 Rep 1,205 Posts Drives: X6M / M3 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Canada iTrader: (7) Garage List 2015 BMW M3 [0.00] 2012 Audi TTRS [10.00] 2012 BMW X6M [9.00] 2007 BMW 335i [9.00]	Pretty remarkable how fast they found him, must have had an avalanche pack on with a inflatable and a tracking device. __________________
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12-05-2011, 12:31 AM	#3
Mahmood07 Captain 86 Rep 856 Posts Drives: E92 M3 + F85 X5M Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Boston->San Diego->Bahrain iTrader: (0)	wow, I am claustrophobic so it felt difficult to breathe when he was under the snow. Lucky guy! __________________ ///M3 Mods: \| Eisenmann Race Exhaust \| Primary Cats Delete (TTP) \| ESS Tune \| 19" Advan RS \| Eibach Springs \| MS Air Filter \| BMW Perf. Spoiler \| BMW Perf. Splitters \| Euro LCI Tail lights \| Angel iBright v.3.0 \| 20% Tint \| Matte black Kidney Grills \| CF Side Gills \| Painted Reflectors \| Black M3 emblem
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12-05-2011, 12:33 AM	#4
E90SoFlo Banned 196 Rep 2,669 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Naples, FL iTrader: (9)	I hope my friends find me that fast if I ever get caught in a slide.
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12-05-2011, 08:50 AM	#6
NYCGP WTF are you looking at? 232 Rep 1,560 Posts Drives: Bandwagon Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Jungle iTrader: (0)	Hearing him moaning/sobbing was really hard...
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