Caught in an Avalanche while snowboarding

Had a close call today. Headed out for an afternoon tour w a friend to Some side country. There was one lone skier track already in the main bowl. It was about 1oclock and there had been a big temp change and some wind loading so we chose one of the more mellow lines. Some friends had just scored lines right around the corner. I dropped first while my buddy waited up top in a safe spot. First few turns were blower. As I came over the roll into the steep section the whole slope popped. I saw cracks shoot out in all directions. Next thing I was swimming through chest deep and heading for a cliff band. I leaned hard on my toe edge and tried to steer out of it. Another section broke in front of me and there was nowhere to go. Felt like a giant wave breaking on my back and I was stuck in the white water. My head was still above it and I could see a notch in the cliff band. I pointed it and aired off the cliff luckily just between two rocks. I landed hard and butt checked. I tried to pop up as the slide started pouring on my back. It started pushing me again and I started swimming w it. It pushed up around my shoulders and started covering my head just as it came to a halt. Lucky the snow was light and I was able to stand up and ride out. You can kind of see the crown left side at the very top of the snow field. Ended up sliding 5 or 6 hundred feet maybe more. Never thought I'd be that guy, reality check!

[@darrendix5163]

I particularly appreciate THIS video, because it's in my stomping grounds. This is actually where I had my first B/C mission, 4 drop ins, and 4 post-hole exits with no split board or snow shoes. I have since been in this area dozens of times. Where this video is shot, this is a very mellow grade, no more than 30 degrees. To his skier's left, there are many more advanced runs that exceed some 35 degrees grade, and I have seen the warning signs of how this area has potential avalanche danger from the slough set off, and how the upper layer can up and just slide away instantly with little or no warning. That an avalanche of this size can happen on even such a mellow run as yours, and in the place I ride over and over sure did give me a big heads up, even though I have been lucky not to have had that happen before. Like you said in the description, you never thought it would be you! Yes, it had warmed up a bit, but you really never know when or where an avalanche is going to happen in the back (or side) country. You did well not riding by yourself (although I have done several missions by myself in that spot, since was living nearby. Nobody is perfect. I don't always ride with partners, but then I will make my trip only in low avy danger, or a short trip, etc.) . Really, you should always have beacon, probe, shovel, and avalanche airbag, but if it's been a month since the last snowfall, with almost zero danger, well, we all are our own keeper, aren't we?

[@trevornelson7144]

just to combat disinformation, for a slope to slide dry it must be over 30 degrees. It is simple math. This is easily measurable and avoidable. Most of the people die in Utah annually because of similar "mellow" slopes that are 31-32 degrees steep. Its not about eye balling it. Low angle is binary in meaning and means below 30 degrees.

[@shredcity]

It's great to watch videos like this and learn from others, thanks for posting. The main errors imo are riding a convex roll ontop of exposure and riding as part of too small a group. Don't see how other commenters can give the guy shit- you can't assess a snowpack from a video clip.

[@whiogirl]

glad you're ok. thank for posting so the rest of us can see it can happen to anyone!

[@bjornorama]

That is crazy and even crazier you got the whole thing recorded.

[@anthonymaida5896]

thank god youre ok. it seriously takes real skill to come out standing

[@anorakpeter]

Very interesting video! Thanks for sharing! Would be interesting to hear more about what the conditions were and what signs there were that could have alerted you to the dangers. Hindsight is a great thing!

[@RedBird0000000000]

Nice way to stay up your board! Awesome job.

[@amylaverdiere2452]

You should submit an observation to the Sierra Avalanche Center. Glad you and your group are ok!!!

[@stephenkittle6586]

I live in Colorada which has alot of avalanches through the winters! I always check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center for conditions in the back country and never once have been caught in a avalanche ! The info is free and i have been doing this for 30 yrs ! PAY ATTENION to the tempertures and snowfalls because it snows at 30 degrees or 10 degrees so there is different moisture contents in the snow! If have a super low dry moisture with one storm at 10 degrees and the next snowfall after at 30 degrees then you have heavy layer on top a lighter layer it going to compress the snow and causes it not to bond with the lower layers and sugar snow, depth hoar forms and then it only takes a

[@stephenkittle6586]

It only takes a little amount of weight to make the snow slide ! At Breckenridge Co one time a mountan caused avalanche !

[@stephenkittle6586]

A mtn lion caused one

[@daraghashghai9978]

Dang good video dude!

[@floridapaddler4570]

Thanks for sharing.......wow.

[@billysmith7990]

That was scary how quick it happen

[@crosscreek3]

damn, glad ur alright!

[@wanderingwiers1005]

No joke I was watching these videos looked at the channel name and realized it was my uncle, hay uncle Mikey

[@ebyvids]

Nice surfing

[@mathewnelson5362]

The snow doesn't like to be touched. It kills.

[@davidscott8366]

Wow man - where was this?

[@jaidynroberts4428]

Selfie stick

[@coolaisiankid]

Nice helmet where'd you buy it??

[@ashtonpoitras4266]

Conspiracy Nut I’ve seen more videos of pros without helmets

[@zoltanrakottyai]

can't see shit captain but its scary

[@ManuVanhaverbeke]

Too boring to leave that mountain and snow alone?

[@youngcansuela8327]

I didn't notice the previous set of tracks last time I watched. There's literally a set of tracks immediately rider's left, on the same slope angle, aspect, likely within minutes prior to your run. You didn't trigger a slide because you had just entered the steep section, you triggered a slide because you aimed for the most marginal and dangerous part of the pack. I don't know whether it was a lack of understanding or a greed for untracked snow, but man.

[@Red5tone]

Where did you plan to exit the run? Theres cliffs all over the place. This seems like a really stupid run all together.

[@Ms.CyranoDebergerac]

Don't do that again...from one athlete to another. Promise?

[@youngcansuela8327]

Why in the world did you slash right near that rock outcropping? It's like you purposefully aimed for the shallowest and weakest part of the snowpack. You'd have been better off just centerpunching the thing where at least the snowpack isn't 90% facets and shit.

[@dr00andrew]

you know it really is funny how you could tell where the shallowest part of the snowpack is by looking at a selife pov angle...while im not trying to say you dont know what you're talking about, you come off as a bit of a smart ass... both of us know it is hard to judge the actual depth of the snowpack in a particular spot on a particular slope unless you physically stick a probe into it and see the depth, but standing in the middle of a slope that will slide is not smart. i dont care who you are, avalanches can strike anywhere regardless of your "experience" jimmy chin was caught in an avalanche in gtnp with experienced riders like jeremy jones and xavier delerue and they werent on the gnarliest line either. same thing happened, warming temps caused the safe slope earlier in the day to fail. point is there is no way to really predict them and you shouldnt criticize somone negatively for being caught in one. anybody skiing unpatrolled terrain is susceptible to them

[@darrendix5163]

ONCE AGAIN--- self acclaimed expert from a you-tube video. SURELY you are an expert about EVERYTHING you talk about if I'm not mistaken. I ride this spot myself frequently (but am not telling you where it is.) . SAVE IT! avalanches happen, and you are OBVIOUSLY not an expert to justify trying to make yourself feel superior by being condescending. Why can't people just watch and learn instead of always finger pointing and judging?

[@RealGrandDini]

when you don't have enough experience when riding as you can see from the start you really should stick to groomed trails buddy

[@oliverkramer5311]

grand dini u could see from the start it was happening, it didn’t look that big, so if he was expierenced he would have gone off to the side

[@darrendix5163]

If he can ride powder, he can surely ride side country that is right next to a resort (I know where this is, because I have dropped in dozens of times from that spot, but I'm not telling where it is.). SO-- do you have any videos showing how awesome you are when you ride or ski, so as to qualify yourself worthy of being arrogant and condesending? Bust a 900, BE-aACH! AVALANCHES HAPPEN. Get over it. I am going to every single comment section, hunting out these wanna be experts and finger pointers. SO-- are you ski patrol or avalanche patrol? Tell us all about all the avalanche classes you had that would have prevented this avalanche from happening if it had been YOU out riding?

[@wanderingwiers1005]

@@darrendix5163 Good on you mate, its true. Plus he's no beginner, he was a semi pro snowboarder so I'm pretty sure he's more qualified then this guy