Snowboarder rescued by stranger: 'I was gonna die on my own'

A Washington state snowboarder is recounting the moment he was rescued by a skier after he fell into a tree well while snowboarding near Mt. Baker earlier this winter.
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[@randomv3iwer]

The fact the skier stumbled upon the snowboarder is nothing short of a miracle. Such a great lad.

[@JustAJinx-ci6hg]

Oop, careful. Apparently someone's triggered by the fact I said 'god' in my comment, so he might come to yours cuz you used the word 'miracle'

[@yoshi_wrld4892]

Repent of sin and Trust in Jesus! John 14:6 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Matthew 7:13-23 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. -----------

[@an0970]

@@JustAJinx-ci6hg😂😂😂

[@LisaJaneSeniorLivingInsider]

Complete miracle. Somebody lifted up a prayer his behind.

[@Justatreecutter]

Yes

[@brandonzuzak6748]

When he said “take your time” you can hear a man that accepted his fate. He was ready to die. He expected nothing less. Imagine being buried in 6 feet of snow, alone, with the thought of “I should have never come out here today” and then boom, the light hits you and you see a man with a shovel saying, you’re good bud I got you. Beautiful moment in humanity right here.

[@oneiroagent]

Exactly, his ego completely died.

[@the.seagull.35]

❤❤❤ "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6‭-‬8 ☀️✝️

[@BrianHallmond]

New Marvel Super Hero. Shovel Man.

[@reins8053]

He didnt appear with the shovel so your comment is factually incorrect.

[@siggern2005]

​@@reins8053😂

[@MrArcadyus]

This was Mt Baker last year. The boarders partners had already went down leaving their buddy up there prob unaware he had fallen in a tree well. From the stories I've heard these two are now good friends are ride together often. This is a great reminder, always ride trees with a partner and never let them out of your sight.

[@killrkiddx007]

Oh yeah tree wells suck I got caught in two of em but I never go alone when breaking trail

[@mikespring6165]

Is that Crystal Mountain ski resort?

[@sazzlepop321]

Well that buddy sucks!

[@sol_sunstaine]

​@@sazzlepop321rabo 🎉

[@lonnieharris1984]

or dont ride trees at all

[@Mr_Das_Auto]

That fact that his feet was the only thing sticking out the ground is insane and the guy who saved him is a god damn hero.

[@miggleproductions]

Good god nobody cares@@kevinbrandon1856

[@sufma6505]

Reminds me of the one guy from the nutty putty cave

[@VTRDC27]

God god god​. Relax. @@kevinbrandon1856

[@oldcowbb]

​@@kevinbrandon1856fucking Yahweh wouldn't like it

[@firehalf2935]

​@@kevinbrandon1856 Which god did he name?

[@SpacePirate313]

Never has a snowboarder been happier to see a skier. Humans are amazing.

[@NickRanger]

Haha ur 100% right

[@Bubbles-qb5hf]

Lmao! Well put. 😂

[@deriandoody2426]

Bruh I was crying at this beautiful bit of humanity and you had to RUIN it with the most brutal honesty I've ever read 😂😂😂

[@Trigger200284]

So amazing that fluffy snow almost killed one… dumb statement.

[@nathanwhite3305]

@@Trigger200284 what do you mean

[@EverlastGX]

One of the luckiest dude on the planet. Just the fact someone took the same path and noticed him and saved him in time. Wow. He was 99.99% a goner.

[@pedatoore]

That was 100% a dead man, you can hear it in his voice, he had accepted death, so scary.. glad hes okay

[@chrisclayton2907]

Absolutely. Insane how this actually happened. I was stuck in deep snow by myself for around 2hours and had to climb my way out, my phone battery was dead, no one around until I managed to get back up and find a ski path. I feel this dude.

[@thomasbowman3579]

@@chrisclayton2907 Could you even breath? This dude looked like he would have passed out in a couple minutes

[@jlambe19]

These extremist idiots never cease to amaze me with their recklessness and stupidity.

[@mogyesz225]

@@thomasbowman3579 Usually you have approximately 20 minutes until you run out of air and drown, so even if someone calls the rescue you have almost zero chance to survive.

[@TnoBambino]

This is literally one of the most amazing videos online, period. The fact he took that dlecific route through those trees exactly where the guy was buried, a miracle. The fact there was just enough room for his feet and snowboard to be sticking out, a miracle. I really wish he could've kept recording to see the look on the other mans face when he gets pulled out. I would imagine he would have been crying in absolute relief and probably owed his life to his savior. Absolutely 100% a miracle.

[@liteney]

Amen

[@reapexer]

Thats what happens when you dont do mewing

[@shr1mpers]

@@reapexer Are you serious

[@reapexer]

@@shr1mpers 🤫🧏‍♂️

[@reapexer]

@@shr1mpers 🧏‍♂️🤫

[@IIAndersII]

His exhausted "thank you" breaks my heart

[@Rockin_ROCKS]

Thank gosh he found him before he gave up

[@fuoridisenno8226]

People who never faced deep fresh snow cannot understand how insanely grueling it is to move and dig in such condition. The skier is truly a great man

[@hsm543]

Especially at a high elevation.

[@joey2765]

It’s cold and it gets hot at the same time. Worst than any cardio workout

[@drewhipsley9102]

also that it appears he fell forward and right into a tree well. which happen because the snow is much less packed and dense underneath foliage, also making voids. scary stuff

[@hellovagim]

Would he be able to breath?

[@Chewiepew]

​@Drew Hipsley fall into tree well hit the tree and all the snow on the tree falls onto you

[@ValnettaVale]

To those who don’t know, this is called a “Tree Well.” They form when there’s feet of fresh snow that has fallen. Around trees, because of the branches, the snow falls to the ground slightly more separated, with more air gaps, making it much easier to fall in. Please PLEASE if you ever go out on the slopes after a fresh snow, make sure you have at least 1 or 2 buddies with you and you keep track of each other the whole time. There aren’t enough warnings on the slopes for these things, and they aren’t talked about enough. Many people die every year falling victim to tree wells. Stay safe and buddy up!!!

[@missboogiwoogi]

Wow, didn't know, thank you!

[@LauraMWilde]

Wow. But I think I’ll just not snowboard and be okay with that.

[@meredithjohnson2843]

I learned about these about a year ago and had a new fear unlocked- I don’t even do winter sports.

[@dillont8750]

Friends dad died skiing alone because he fell into one. They're scary asf

[@Zhello79]

​@@meredithjohnson2843Same, my spidey senses go off from stuff like this.

[@Sarabethd]

I'm fighting back tears watching this.. Can you imagine this guy's thoughts as he was under there thinking he was going to die..😢

[@jessicalynn4415]

I was thinking the same thing 😢😢

[@vorbo01]

Yeah I can imagine his thoughts. He was thinking "I'm going to die"

[@EliteAaron]

​@@vorbo01lol

[@yourboy_Vox]

@@vorbo01nah, they say when ur about to die u feel a strange calm and your life flashes

[@dannyboy4929]

​@@yourboy_Vox I'm an underground plumber and pipe layer. 5 years ago I was 15 feet underground, and the walls caved in on me. Thousands of pounds of earth crushing me and my good friend Paul. 2 minutes went by till my coworker accidentally donked my head with a shovel. 2 minutes absolutely no air what so ever, I started getting dizzy, I thought I knew for a fact I was about to die, at first I was panicking in my head, then like you said i got calm and I literally said to my self "the earth is literally on top of me. They're not guna get me out of here. I'll never see my poor mom again, and this hurts alot, hopefully i die fast and die right now" then bam a shovel donked my head haha. Boy was I wrong, my coworkers jumped down there so fast with shovels and dug faster than they ever expected they could, they got to me first, seconds later they got to paul... it was already too late for paul, just a few fucking seconds and some reason I got to live smh. Snow or earth, it's not fun that's forsure

[@user-iu3cu8yj3p]

Snowboarder went back to the lodge and had the most surreal, best tasting cup of coffee of his life.

[@Flt.Hawkeye]

The way you can hear the ski dude getting exhausted after some seconds of digging really shows how hard it is to move this fresh fallen snow. Absolutely heroic of him to realize the presence of the snowboarder and also to realize he has no time to waste.

[@penguinjay]

even getting back up to the boarder was probably enough to get the skier a bit gassed and sweatin. People who haven't been in it can't comprehend it. It's like running on the beach but the sand is 4 ft deep and you're on the moon. He worked so hard so fast I'm surprised he didn't make himself sick. True hero. Nowdays too many people look the other way. Lucky he wasn't in a big city stuck in a similar manner, people would have run his pockets and taken pictures with the stuck man, only later finding out that he died, and then laughing about it, that's how cruel and ignorant people are today. Guy was lucky, he really had himself a guardian angel on that mountain.

[@Proxuius]

@@penguinjay humanity has its vile moments but also its grand moments

[@walterdiaz7315]

Well what makes u even more tired is the dump of adrenaline. U wouldn’t truly know what it’s like unless your in this life saving situation. Just telling someone to dig in snow with their hands know what it’s like ain’t enough.

[@vanjamenadzer]

I had to get off piste to avoid a learing skier because she had her sticks sticking behind her sideways, blocking a narrow path. I landed legs first into chest deep powder. It took her boyfriend and me 5 minutes to get me out of there. Can't even imagine the horor when you can't even move a finger

[@Skoomz]

​@@penguinjaybro lmao what the hell was that last part you wrote 😂

[@VeganKebabDoRuky]

WOW. The snowboarder is INSANELY LUCKY this skier was not only skiing there but managed to notice him. It is great to see, bless them both.

[@JariJuslin]

Part of it might be it being a tricky place in general - the skier seemed like he, too fell at that point. Which makes a coincidence a bit more likely.

[@VeganKebabDoRuky]

​@@JariJuslin yes, but if you take that particular route, the are many different possible routes. Good thing they decided to go that way!

[@RazzleDazzle109]

Same thing happened to me once, last run of the day, sun going down, off trail, last guy in my group at the tail. Crashed into some deep snow, any movement made me sink deeper, so i stayed very still laying there for a bit, noticed one very skinny bare branch hanging into the hole i was in, i prayed and grabbed that skinny little branch. Fully expected the branch to break, but that skinny little bare branch didn’t break and i pulled myself up and out and carefully finished the run. That little skinny branch saved my life i believe.

[@VeganKebabDoRuky]

@@RazzleDazzle109 I kind of know the feeling, skiing off trail and getting into an accident alone is terrifying, fortunately I never had a moment where I thought I would probably die if a skinny branch would break on me. Safe skiing and thanks for sharing!

[@Slyfox1775]

Never go out alone !

[@Snake13042]

Good job saving the guy. Good eye spotting him before you passed by too. Saved his life for sure.

[@jesss2830]

i was already welling up as he was digging but that "thank you" at 3:14 made me cry. What a hero Francis is.

[@kevinc3751]

That’s intense. 2.5 minutes of straight adrenaline and digging to save this guy’s life. Mad props to you sir.

[@davecharette2812]

they need better smart technology and it shows that we need eachother

[@leightonrud66]

Wait 2.5 minutes of straight digging is that impressive to you it has to be adrenaline? God damn you must be unfit, especially since its snow, not like its dirt filled with rocks.

[@matthewroman6807]

Just went snowboarding for the first time a few weeks ago, and it's very tiring! Seeing the guy in the video try to get through the snow itself is exhausting enough. The rush to save another's life helped for sure

[@churchofseabass9227]

And at altitude too, extra exhausting

[@mw-cf5dr]

May be a stupid question, but is the buried snowboarder able to breathe under that snow? Is the snow porous enough to allow some air in? He did seem out of it for a bit.

[@lovehuestudios2972]

I'm good friends with the boarder in this video. He's a wonderful guy. Comes from a mountain sports family and has been on the slopes since childhood. Thank you random skier hero for saving my buddy's life. I'll buy you beers too.

[@koscraftbuilds4937]

is he ok? How long was he in the ditch before the skier arrived? I don't think it can be more than a couple of minutes...

[@91wheelz]

@@koscraftbuilds4937 I was also wondering how long he was under the snow. What a terrifying experience regardless of how long he was under the snow

[@ksm1255]

💙💙

[@silentwolfarena9935]

Hope everything turned out without underlying problems

[@lovehuestudios2972]

@@koscraftbuilds4937 yeah he's good. He was stuck their for about 5 mins. You can find a clip on here of the interview they did with the local news.

[@Warhawk76]

Gotta love seeing strangers help each other, its a beautiful thing.

[@jusjohn]

Miracle. Not other words. Not a coincidence. That skier, as others have stated, stumbled upon the boarder buried. Such a random and remote place and fate took him there. God bless the rescuer.

[@StarHeaven07]

Reading the interview; the rescuer had just moved across the country and was still getting their bearings in the area. This area was outside the slope course, an area he said he'd never have gone if he didn't by chance make a friend with someone there that day who wanted to go. And as it turns out, the rescuer had paid attention in Avalance Rescue taining courses. The two are now 'lifelong friends' and the rescued man has been making sure the new arrival to his hometown is being well looked after. You can argue about whether it was fate or random chance all day, but let's just agree that we just gotta love stories like this. These moments of humanity, that when the time suddenly comes to step up, there are still good people out there that will exhaust themselves in a frenzy of digging through frigid hell to save a stranger.

[@Caraunus]

Nothing is random

[@StarHeaven07]

@@Caraunus okay so, I said it this way because I have no comment on that. It wasn't the focus of what I was talking about.

[@LoveTexasToast]

@@StarHeaven07 thanks for the info, I was wondering if they’d kept in touch after this. Fate and chance are definitely debatable, but there’s no need to get upset when someone wants to debate it. Comments are meant for discussion

[@StarHeaven07]

@@LoveTexasToast You're right, of course. Seems like every comment thread on the video is people arguing about that, so I got a bit defensive there.

[@rolanddeschain6089]

Thanks for the info. And yes, the media and also the internet is so full of cruel news, pain and division that one should regularly bear in mind that there are many, many people out there who just want to get by, who are nice and decent and who try do what is right everyday and of course in an emergency.

[@tiffanymorgan1059]

To say Hero is too little. Imagine being prepared with that gear, thinking it’s unlikely it’ll be used, but “just in case.” Great work being prepared, alert, and selfless. We need more like you.

[@NeptuneSega]

No, we need to be more like him

[@chbedient4394]

I believe it's required gear to go in the backcountry. You should have it anywhere at Baker.

[@Sepia1989]

When he assembled the shovel, it's like a superhero suiting up :)

[@HugeInsect]

Heroism requires bravery. This is a decent guy doing a decent thing. "To say Hero is too little" - people on the internet are so dramatic and annoying, ROFL. I'm shocked you didn't say you were in tears too.

[@aljabirxiju9475]

yeah...kinda makes the whole thing seem a little...staged ...doesnt it?

[@DustyLamp]

This is a shining example of why everyone should stay fit. You never know when you'll be called on to save someone, it would be heartbreaking if this guy wasn't able to physically dig the snowboarder out.

[@aftersexhighfives]

Pretty sure that would be attempted leaving this life's subscription if he wasn't fit enough to ski..... That is not a couch activity. Especially not that kind. You're not wrong, in general, but this is not a potato activity.

[@shirowolff9147]

​@@aftersexhighfiveswhat are you even saying?

[@aftersexhighfives]

@@shirowolff9147 KZbin censor ship says i'm not allowed to say it. Maybe read it out loud to yourself.

[@callisto2895]

​@aftersexhighfives you can use the correct words in the damn comment section.

[@aftersexhighfives]

@@callisto2895 no you can't 😆

[@Virgo_Victoria0830]

This man is an angel and a hero.

[@laurenw2446]

That guys a hero. The way he dug so heroically and then sweetly reassured the other person they’d be OK. He deserves a medal!

[@dorothydemario123]

❤

[@caturlifelive]

Agreed, respect

[@carolmckenzie8945]

I agree. I was freaking out.

[@madattheworld2628]

🫳🫵👎🏻

[@DawnshieId]

Calling helpers heroes makes people ashamed to ask for help

[@SilverZenCompass]

I'm sure they're good friends now. Bless that man for helping a stranger.

[@TllBizzarre]

99likes no comments? I gotcha 100th like STAY SAFE😘💪🙏✌️

[@spiderciamovies9992]

no npc theyre not friends

[@Sanjay-tc6hu]

@@spiderciamovies9992 how'd u know that then

[@yvetteandjorgenlarsen9753]

That was a very hard task that I wasn't sure he could pull off

[@JC-xm9lo]

​@@spiderciamovies9992 They're good friends now. They appear in a interview

[@evaluna6177]

I'm impressed by many details here. I've got the feeling, both were really experienced, knowing what they were doing. It's so exhausting to work through this mass of snow for the rescuer. And he uses his skies as an anchor, anchoring them parallel in the snow, so they have much resistance und then draged himself up on them. Starting to dig the snow away from further down, not just vertical. So he can push the snow aside and it wouldn't immediatly slide into the hole and close it again. Working with gravity insted against it. Think of it, he had only seconds to decide what he was doing and every wasted second or wrong decision could be fatal. But also the burried snowboarder, remaining calm and not thrashing around. And have you noticed, how he used his freed arm to support the cave, so it doesnt' cave in or snow slide in? To act so rational when you had to experience terror of dying and be absolutely helpless only a minute before... What I also can't help but hink about: After the snowboarder is freed - both have still to depart from the slope. Both are xtremely exhausted and shaken. The slope is very steepy the snow deep - I don't know how far they were from the next base. But I think gowing down would be a very hard task...

[@JohnCash001]

I've never seen someone so much a goner, saved by pure luck.. incredible to the person who saved them. That person will remember you for the rest of their life.

[@massdistractions]

The odds of him being found and rescued are so astronomical. Incredible hero and survivor moment here.

[@21preend42]

Astronomical means, very large. That's not what you mean right ?

[@plasmapanasonic4741]

@@21preend42 That is what he mans. How many trees out there, the fact that the resucuer took that exact path and saw him in those few seconds...

[@21preend42]

@@plasmapanasonic4741 I will argue that the chance he would have been found was very low. Especially within the time he would have been alive.

[@hiro0078]

​@@plasmapanasonic4741 for those reasons the odds were super low he would be found and survived.

[@mattoniy2840]

The phrase astronomical odds expresses the rarest of lifes experiences in terms of the unfathomable vastness of outer space.

[@calebskeeper3553]

What a horrifying experience for the guy that got buried. I know he at one point felt like it was the end of his life. He must have felt so lucky to have been found.

[@Soul-Clutch-Man]

When I was a kid, before I knew how to swim, I tried to jump into the deep end at a lake thinking I could walk across the bottom. Fortunately for me, at the perfect opportunity some other swimmer in a floaty floated right above me. If they hadn’t been right there right then I probably wouldn’t be alive today. I don’t remember much how it felt then because I was so little, but that gratitude still sticks with me. Whoever you are stranger, thank you so much for saving my life.

[@TITIKMAN-rz6qd]

I have a dream about this where i get buried alive by my ex friends to prank me and the experience is scary bcus I have death anxiety but I got found and the feeling is weird even tho its a dream lol

[@jgonzalez418]

@Larry bro wtf 😂😂 the snow is literally settled it’s clear the guys been there for a bit. Def not fake.

[@Jdogrey1]

@@TITIKMAN-rz6qd My guy, everyone has death anxiety.

[@s3ns1]

maybe

[@aftersexhighfives]

Started to tear up when his hand moved and started to cry when he finally spoke. What luck and amazing bravery, quick thinking and tools. They're friends for life now. They have to be. 🎉

[@eleonorarusso3481]

It made me cry. Just how selfless and amazing human being can be. There’s still love in this world ❤

[@michaelsethcudd]

Anyone who's tried to walk through snow that deep knows how exhausting it is. This man needed superhero strength and stamina to get back up that hill and dig the snowboarder out. Absolutely unreal! I'm in awe.

[@scottanos9981]

Once that adrenaline kicks in you can really make stuff happen

[@captainzarlon]

Not only the deep snow but thin air from high elevation multiplies the struggle.

[@michaelsethcudd]

@@captainzarlon Very true. This was an amazing rescue!

[@christophercastillo6022]

@@michaelsethcudd he is literally out doing actual rescuers…. He literally got right to business👌🏽😊

[@bennypit4411]

People talk about endurance being so important in marathons, in swimming, in soccer and several other intense sports...... but endurance in back country skiing is more important IMO, it can literally be the difference in life or death. Awe, is the perfect word.

[@jaycarl1562]

The way he thanked him, you can tell he is a man that never asks for anything and here comes a stranger who serves him the "rest of his life" on a silver platter!

[@CaptLuser]

you can tell by the way he says “i’m good” while upside down buried in snow that he never complains about anything

100 %

[@Felice_Enellen]

@@CaptLuser Not just "I'm good" but "take your time", like he actually cares for the well-being of the person saving him. Good man.

[@uggamugga9159]

well said!

[@drenolynbeats]

The way he thanked him you can tell he’s a lefty and eats his eggs sunny side up with cheese!

[@yuralee5227]

Молодец, Человек! Дай Бог тебе здоровья и долгих лет!

[@thomas_Customz]

Ive been in a similar situation snowboarding the mountains of british columbia and i can honestly say i felt that mans relief when the skiier exposed his face and he could take his first non laboured breath in im guessing several minutes

[@atsu6165]

The adrenaline the rescuer was experiencing is so palpable. Your a good human!

[@thomashawkins6154]

💯 ya can hear him say the f word multiple times trying to calm himself down 3:41

[@wheeliesforthefeelies3995]

How does someone not suffocate immediately when they are packed in with snow like that?

[@bitcoinweasel9274]

@@wheeliesforthefeelies3995 Apparently he was in there for about 5 minutes. As long as you have room for your lungs to move, you might have a bit of air packed in with you. Extremely lucky timing, regardless.

[@joelbergsma7019]

Theres a bit of room inside a tree well that if dug into properly you can use as an emergency shelter. Falling into them collapses that “roof” of snow around you -Leaving you unable to move but with little air pockets of loose snow. Even with those air pockets. (If you’re lucky to have one.) most say you have less than 10min of air. Fantastic job by the skier!

[@Reblwitoutacause]

You're

[@Douglemagne]

That guy had a really bad time and got really lucky the skier came across him like that. I fell down into a buried tree similarly while boarding at Mt Baldy and was so stuck it took me over a half hour of exhausting digging to get myself out. Fortunately for me, I was not upside down like that guy or I would likely not be here to tell the tale. Good man that skier who saved him. Major props.

[@RyanMiller-vn5kz]

Thank you for saving that sweet child!

[@ksteed1167]

My brother died this way, separated from his partner that day and it was too late when ski patrol found him. What an incredible rescue this was, i will always be grateful for those who risk life and limb to help another. Edit: Thank you all for the kind comments expressing condolences for my loss. It's been eleven years but still stings like it was yesterday. i considered siting the details of my late brother's incident to refute any more claims of "virtue signaling" (honestly-i don't even know what that is) or that i'm making this up for some reason...but that information is sacred to me as he was my older brother, best friend and mentor, and i won't try and prove myself. This particular story is about the consequences of caring about another human enough to help, that is what we should remember.

[@IdahoRanchGirl]

I'm sorry about your brother. That's horrible!

[@AELwriter]

❤Ilywamh

[@AnnaMarianne]

I'm so sorry to hear that!

[@randomrecipes5007]

Sorry for your loss man..

[@deborahbarry8458]

Sorry for your loss. Seeing this video, I understand how quickly that could happen. ✨

[@bengieDMZ]

The way he says “take your Time man” You could tell how grateful he was to be finally be saved

[@7eaNess]

And the skier was like "will get you out in a sec" for sure it would mean different for the snowboarder the next time he hears it again

[@Armed-Forever]

why don’t these guys have tracking devices on them ? they just let them go out into the nowhere without knowing where ppl are? ppl have no doubt died and never been found

[@2PiNkStEr]

@@Armed-Foreverclearly you’ve never been back country. You can’t stop someone from going back country. This doesn’t happen often.

[@Armed-Forever]

@@2PiNkStEr Lol I have i’m just making the point of how our governments aren’t serious, i’ve been skiing once and i said i will always have 2 gps trackers on me, if i go idle for too long, you know i’m in trouble. the thought of just being stuck in snow with no way out is scary

[@squirrelsinjacket1804]

I'm sure both were immensely relieved once he could breath open air again giving time to dig him out properly.

[@pineapplemolo]

My ski school instructor once said “I will always carry a shovel with me to help anyone whose stuck” I always thought it was such a kind thing to do

[@krishhunt47]

Thats how he met his best friend for life

[@gabrielford3473]

Pretty tough to watch....My friend died this exact way several years ago. Thank goodness for the alert and prepared skier being there to help.

[@shannonEGBOK]

Sorry for your loss.

[@lisathomas1622]

Big hug from your friend. He appreciates that you miss him. He protects you from the spirit side.

[@Sweetlyfe]

That’s awful I’m really sorry for all your friend’s loved one’s.

[@ElleLillian]

I'm sorry for your loss

[@darrellh.9680]

I too had a friend that died this way on this same mountain. My other friends dad was the person who found him hours after he didn’t meet up with us at the lower lodge.

[@maristoldboys5466]

This mighty rescuer got a super boost of adrenalin. What a man. God bless em both.

[@jackman5840]

you can see him coming down from the adrenalin, and realizing he was just a hero.

[@dove3853]

Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ died on a cross for you because He loves you so much. He then rose up from the dead three days later The Ten Commandments are called the moral law, (most of us are lying thieving blasphemous adulterer at heart and deserve hell) you and I broke the law, Jesus paid the fine. That’s what happened on that cross. By believing that Jesus died on the cross and rose up from the dead 3 days later and not just confessing your sin, but also repenting of all sin you have done and putting all your trust in Him in prayer, He will grant you everlasting life as a free Gift

[@jackman5840]

@@dove3853 Please stop pushing people away like that.

[@AugustAPC]

god didn't do shit

[@michal_havlicek]

​@@dove3853 Hail Satan

[@kaizenexcellens]

And the Skier shows what REAL hero's look like. Well done to both of you in your tale of courage and survival.

[@skbnvacaville]

I have never been so stressed out in my life watching that. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@kjb8321]

I found this very powerful and emotional. The boarder had obviously started to accept what he thought was his fate, hence the eerie calmness. The rescuer was so unflustered and said all of the right things - absolute respect to him, he saved a life 😮

[@ahabduennschitz7670]

He didnt aCcEpT hIs fAtE, he was about to pass out because he was basically hanging upside down, Einstein

[@kjb8321]

@@ahabduennschitz7670 OK 🔔🔚

[@dinosaur_nerd]

@@ahabduennschitz7670 if passing out it would be due to the lack of oxygen since he was buried in snow. The average human can hold their breath successfully around 3 minutes before passing out. He would need to be upside down for around 9 minutes before he would pass out.

[@whitelilycalla]

1

[@indigocheetah4172]

KJB83, I felt the same .

[@panconkisu]

"take your time man" Now that's a man very grateful to have been saved.

[@Gol.DRichOfficial]

Exactly!! He didn’t even care if I’d take that guy an hour to shovel him out because he already accepted his fate. But when he finally got some oxygen in his system he was no longer panicking but more relaxed and reassured that today wasn’t his last day

[@kimmyp3407]

Lol came for this comment

[@Zharkan16]

He was sarcastic, jk :P

[@Tony-iu7sw]

Funny. I saw it more as he was extremely nonchalantly given the situation. A person grateful to be saved would more than let you know with specific words

[@laurasanchez7105]

Imagine if he was like "well hurry up dude what the hell are you waiting for?!"

[@echristinebirzgalis6525]

I remember a tree well. Thankful for two skiers that rescued me at Lake Louise. Could not have got out without their help. What an awesome recovery here. God Bless!

[@davidbrown5082]

So that was you thank God man that was crazy

[@Poekoe1975]

15 min later from seeing this clip I am still reeling... One of the most intense, anxiety envoking and also beautifull things I have ever seen... The man who dug him out is a hero indeed. He's also human. I'd like to think that every human being would react the same way to another human being in grave danger. Against better knowlege maybe, but it never hurts to hope. God bless both these men and their families to see another day.

[@jordanwhite8567]

Dude isn’t just lucky that someone noticed it. He’s lucky it was someone with enough cardiovascular fitness to dig him out. That would be unbelievably difficult to do in the time period he did it in. You can tell he keeps wanting to take a second to catch his breath and then realizing how grave this is and curses instead of breathing and goes right back at digging super hard. Honestly a feat in endurance this video. Amazing stuff

[@eriksports]

To be fair I don’t know any backcountry riders who aren’t in at least a little bit of shape.

[@Crude.Critter]

IT'S HARD! people do not realize how much the winter affects the body until it hits them So much energy used in such little time Then add on top the bulky gear and snow that's trying to swallow you You're basically already using so much power to just get around When it's cold out like that It's an absolute beast to go up against So always stay hydrated and well fed in the cold time of the year And be easy on yourself

[@eriksports]

@@Crude.Critter I’m sober in the winter to focus on riding and safety in the bc. Well worth it. Then spring time comes and it’s party time, it’s a fun lifestyle

[@joeblow26]

​@@eriksportsyeah, it's not like people don't shovel their driveway out at home. People that live in the snowy regions get a lot more exercise than people in the all summer south!

[@reinsama5436]

He had luck i know alot of people who would just walked away

[@hieuhuynh3084]

I burst into tears the moment he said "thank you". These dudes are gonna be friends for life.

[@wiljagerhardt1219]

or they wont

[@switch12345678]

0:35 I had to laugh: "You alright?!" 😅

[@Luke-ih1oc]

@@switch12345678narrator: “he was not”

[@joeblow26]

​@@wiljagerhardt1219 Actually they are now happily married,,, who would have thunk it!

[@Emmatriaaa]

@@joeblow26 Can confirm, I’m their child.

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

That skier is a hero for rescuing the snowboarder.

[@Evrimomono]

Man just putting myself in the boarder's situation for a second scares the living shit out of me. What would I think? What would I do? Props to this man for saving the guy. It teared me up

[@tl6988]

This was nothing short of a miracle. Most people on that mountain take the same path. This guy was out of bounds in the trees and still managed to find him. One slight turn a different direction that guys still up there.

[@WagWanTeleban]

Yep. Completely insane

[@katiethomas9100]

I thought the same. You can see the skier looked eyed the route to his left and then decided to squeeze through that tiny gap in the trees. What are the odds of him just going through that little space!!! Clearly not the snowboarders time to go!!😅

[@aidensnow5017]

On top of that if the Snowboarder didnt have a bright red board it could have been easily missed.

[@oldcat30]

Fate, both gonna be friends/brothers now even they not blood related.

[@pepefroglive]

True

[@WastedWages402]

Holy shit. This guy is literally a hero. Not gonna lie watching the guys face come through the snow and hearing him , knowing this guy is saving his life made this grown man tear up..

[@krjohnson]

Same. Minus the grown man part.

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

I sobbed. I've gotten sucked into tree wells before. They trap you. Then with this much powder on top. This could've been a bad situation. What excellent timing this man has. ❤

[@FancyEqualsX]

“Enough to make a grown man cry”

[@dropYourVideo]

Same here man

[@JB-xl2jc]

The exhausted out of breath "thankyou..." man, that did me in

[@RicardoJNTeixeira]

What a noble act... i got emocional and happy at the same time.

[@ayachitsure]

Man, my heart was PUMPING for this whole 5 minutes. The levelheadedness of the rescuer is insane--just goes to show that it takes huge levels of experience and grit needed to survive an extreme sport like backcountry skiing. That snowboarder was one incredibly lucky guy...

[@justv7536]

You can hear the panic start to set in as he realises just what has happened, and how his breath quickens as he fights his lungs to push himself so that the other man can take a breath like he so desperately wants to. This is just, it's amazing. Really, peak humanity

[@Jocelynngoslin]

That's the part that made the tears flow for me. As soon as he saw the position of the feet his adrenaline spiked and he was on it

[@davidtiessen7713]

exactly he's getting exhausted digging but powers through knowing he cant stop til he reaches his face. Just getting that short 6 feet from where he 1st saw the board and then up to the board to begin digging is a mass effort as anyone knows thats beeen in these wicked new snow conditions.

[@aspah12450]

@@davidtiessen7713SERIOUSLY! I I remember getting stuck on a closed run at a resort. Fell into the snow chest deep and the entire run was like that. I was stuck with a buddy and we took AT LEAST 2hrs trying to “sled” down with our snowboards. So many times I felt like just giving up and accepting that this is it, but we eventually made it down. By the time we got to the main lodge, the last of the guests were leaving (30min-1hr after the slopes ALL closed) One of the scariest experiences of my life.

[@mopam7]

Holy sheesh! Glad you made it out to tell us that story! God bless you and yours in Jesus mighty name!

[@siberiasian]

yeah i think he started panicking around 1:57 after he saw the snowboarder's position wouldn't let him breathe

[@Polymathically]

He was immensely lucky. My cousin died in the same way at Northstar Tahoe a few years back. He'd been there countless times before, and had decades of experience. But he went up on his own, because no one else could take the time off. He died alone, buried headfirst in the snow, and wasn't found until 3 days later. Be careful when you're out on the slopes, folks. Because Mother Nature doesn't care how experienced you are, and sometimes the worst case scenario does happen. Edit: Thanks for all the kind words and condolences, folks. Don't make the same mistake he did, and take care of yourselves out there!

[@arsalan4785]

R.I.P

[@TheBold1994]

I’m sorry for your loss. Did he go off the tracks?

[@Polymathically]

@@TheBold1994 Thank you. And yeah, he did. I still don't understand how that happened, as he'd been there so many times before. He should've known better. The only factor I can think of is that there was 8 ft of fresh snow that morning, and maybe the change in terrain made him misunderstand where the route was.

[@TheBold1994]

@@Polymathically He probably got that urge to shred some fresh powder off the track. Been there done that and almost died. Learnt my lesson twice and never again. First time, I almost went down an iced over water fall and the second time my car keys ended up falling out my pocket and luckily a skier was following me and managed to grab them and meet me at my car as I realized I had lost them

[@nathanaelbernis6327]

​@@TheBold1994jeez

[@theamericandream5917]

Insane. What an amazing human being. This guy is a true hero.

[@idonthaveahandle2000]

Wow this man is a hero. This is why skiiers and snowboarders should always travel in pairs at the very least. Safety in numbers really counts. Just wow my heart hurt for this snowboarder.

[@jeremiahjohnson1787]

Especially boarders because they have no poles to release their bindings with, skiers at least MIGHT be able to remove skis

[@buddymaxwell6881]

He was with others. they were ahead of him and didn't see what happened. They were calling him but he couldn't answer.

[@princessminx7375]

​@naydoorf They're not "spouting bullshit" they're saying you should always have someone nearby while doing this stuff. You're being a bitch for no reason

[@des1nteress3]

@naydoorf Not bullshit though. He said pairs, these "friends" left him and were ahead. Pairs stay together.

[@seifzaghdoudi199]

@naydoorf dude chill

[@canyoncruzr]

5:01 “Take your time man…” Dude’s a legend. He’s been buried alive and he’s calm enough to let his rescuer know he’s gonna be okay. 💪🏼

[@danyahjw]

for a second i thought he said it sarcastically lmao

[@kellypatterson4412]

He was probably in hypothermic shock, or hypoxic.

[@canyoncruzr]

@@kellypatterson4412 Tell us about that if you don’t mind… I noticed his hands weren’t moving for quite a while.

[@AdamOwns]

@@kellypatterson4412 he could have also just been hyped to know he’s not gonna die so he was like “I’m good bro. A moment ago I was gonna die, now I’ve actually got time” lol

[@ChrisRedding1]

@@kellypatterson4412 he couldn’t have been there long enough to be in hypothermic shock. He was insulated and safe from direct contact too.

[@namunski949]

even watching it was intense. God bless you both

[@sherimcdaniel3491]

The magnitude of what this hero did for that man is overwhelming! This is a 100% life saved. I don’t know what happened once he was freed, but I do know the young man will be grateful for this “above and beyond” man who stopped, checked the situation and acted selflessly! Thank God for people like you, sir. NEVER forget that you literally saved this life!! ❤️🐈🙏🏻

[@AP-nj1mr]

The rescuer deserves huge recognition for this!

[@201hastings]

There’s a reason why he sold his footage. He wanted the money and recognition

[@Prosto-Ban]

@@201hastings and he fully deserves it

[@kabilpanday6248]

@@201hastings there's a credit tag so maybe he didn't sell it?

[@afitlife]

Rescuer of the year 💪🏻

[@afitcouchpotato4014]

He ended up on GoPros official KZbin channel!

[@billrobbins5874]

So fortunate for that skier to have seen his snowboard. He was buried deep. Nothing more than a miracle right there. ♥️♥️

[@avgrim7729]

If it wasn't for that orange board he wouldn't have even seen him!!

[@johnrobb9408]

Looks like he was following. Then hit fresh snow and looked back. Good intuition. 👍

[@AnnaAnnieAnneofGreenGables]

Amen

[@craigbmm4675]

yup . as an avid skiieer i would say that skiier actually took many not normal paths to happen to spot him .. why ? he was led to him ? i think so .. all i can say .. a miracle . someone was watching out for that young man

[@billrobbins5874]

@@craigbmm4675 ♥️👍♥️

[@nathalieaoi]

I will never forget this story. The man was with his friends but fell behind and fell into a tree well (where there is a hole behind the tree in the snow) he's so lucky this skier found him! His board was very attention catching.

[@jayellevee]

What a savior he turned out to be. I lost my breath and had several panic attacks watching. Love to you both.

[@shelliea4621]

Can you imagine the relief the guy felt when he felt someone digging him out? The unbelievable luck that he was found in time is truly a miracle. Thank God & the skier.

[@Saif_4229]

I feel like his legs might have been numb so imagine he didn’t know until the light hit him

[@LakayaJohnson]

Not lucky, blessed 😊

[@TerminalM193]

I believe the boarder had come to terms with this being his last moments on this earth. He had zero panic, was extremely calm and almost motionless. I think the realization he had of his situation had really set in. Imagine being in his position, coming to terms with such a scenario and then miraculously a skier litteraly runs overtop you in such a wide and random spot. That skier was given a push in the right direction by God to help this poor boarder.

[@Frawzen480]

God would've let him die alongside the countless others that weren't so lucky. 😂 credit to the skier though

[@nedludd7622]

​@@Frawzen480 Yup, for believers if something bad happens, it isn't God. If something good happens, it is God. What hypocrites.

[@Shadow-bs1iu]

Being trapped like this has to be my worst nightmare! I hope this guy never boards alone again! Bravo for rescuing him

[@andrewjensen8189]

For all we know his buddy was just 30 seconds ahead of him. I've lost track of buddies in those conditions, and I was left just praying I had missed them go ahead of me, and not ended up upended in a tree well. Luck is essential in these situations.

[@s.severn]

Apparently he was with a group but they were all ahead of him. He had a radio or something like that with him but couldnt reach it

[@DisloyalOrder3]

@@s.severn he had a radio, beacon, and a shovel, but none of it was any use to him under there. He was in group of four people.

[@scuffedclips1]

its staged to go viral he just happened to be filming

[@DisloyalOrder3]

@@scuffedclips1 I guess if always having your camera on while you're on the slopes like most intermediate to expert skiers/boarders counts as just happened to be filming then that's true.

[@kindadirtydank]

Good man keeping an eye out for others. You saved a life.

[@Snaxolotl71]

For those of you unfamiliar with skiing or snowboarding, situations like these are a lot more common than one might think. The snowboarder fell into what's called a tree well. When snow falls, it doesn't collect as thick in the areas beneath the branches of fir trees, creating a loose patch of powder, air, and branches. They can be difficult to spot and very easy to fall into, and when you fall into them, the snow caves in around you and it can be literally impossible to get out, leaving you to suffocate. My dad fell into one while skiing and he would have died if his buddy hadn't pulled him out (which was very difficult according to him) and in my opinion it's one of the worst ways to die

[@darkflyper9536]

Bro now I don’t want to go skiing man

[@MsJuval]

​@@darkflyper9536​to add to what Mike stated, if you stay on the slope it won't happen to you. And to go off-slope you'd have to be fairly experienced, you don't go off-slope on your first day skiing 😉 So, if you want to try it, have a go.

[@brutusbarnabus8098]

My brother fell into one snowboarding in Utah. By himself, like the guy in the video, which wasn't too smart. Somehow my bro righted himself and managed to get out. He thought that he was a goner too. The risks of hitting the glades, lady bois....

[@tylerwilcox9922]

I was snowboarding on mount hood 15 years ago or so…and while we were there someone died in a lift well. The same thing happened at the base of one of the post for the lift about halfway up the mountain. It is insane how dangerous skiing and snowboarding can be if you aren’t taught the dangers of the mountain. This is an incredible video if you ask me. It was not his time to go.

[@tylerwilcox9922]

@@MsJuvalnot true….I just commented on someone else’s comment before I saw this but someone died at Mt Hood in a lift well right on the trail. Yes it was dumping snow and there was a lot of powder but it was still on the trail. Scary shit.

[@Theuzin360]

The fact that he was just a few meters away of his partner and ended up ocasionally saving this dude, is a pratical miracle, he could just looked to the other side and never found that guy

[@JustAJinx-ci6hg]

Oop, careful. Apparently someone's triggered by the fact I said 'god' (lower case g) in my comment, so he might come to yours cuz you used the word 'miracle'

[@Theuzin360]

@@JustAJinx-ci6hg damn, god will turn us into pegeons

[@JustAJinx-ci6hg]

@@Theuzin360 Into what?

[@EldestZelot]

@@JustAJinx-ci6hg Pagans, probably.

[@sanseverything900]

I'm gonna go with pigeons.

[@RahYoRaijin]

It’s truly beautiful to see such a miracle! Dude is a hero!

[@plantgirl146]

I could feel the urgency of this amazing rescuer... unbelievable!!! Such an awesome happy ending that would've been tragic had he not come along when he did!! Praise God ✨🩵

[@springrain777]

Amen!

[@connorlabuff9236]

Something people may not realize is just how INCREDIBLY difficult it is to maneuver in that kind of deep snow. Every step is absolutely exhausting in those conditions. Kudos to the rescuer for having the strength to do it.

[@ladyweasellou3367]

It might have just happened but it's possible for a person to freeze to the point of death but the body takes on a kind of hibernation. I'm a Medical Sergeant for SAR and when training is drilled in "You're not dead until you're warm and dead"

[@WarrenPuffet]

@@ladyweasellou3367not in this situation, or in a case in which there’s no oxygen fed to the brain.

[@cvn6555]

No lie there. I skied in deep powder at Alta for the first time about 15 years ago. 18-24 inches of the light and fluffy stuff. Last run of the day had a release and went 15 feet down a steep run. Twenty minutes of effort later I was no closer to my erstwhile ski than when I started and completely winded (and I was running marathons at the time). Luckily another skier came along and was able to grab it and get it down to me. This guy was a total boss getting back up to the boarder.

[@SaithMasu12]

If you are in this kind of situation, the last thing you are worried about are the tempratures. You develope so much adrenaline due to the fact that you have to act quickly in this do or die situation. The life of a human lies in your hands. Can you imagine what would happen to you if you couldnt get him out alive. You would have trauma for the rest of your life. Not because it is your fault, but because your mind will tell you what you could have done differently and that feeling of "what if" never leaves you. Believe me, i were in some kind of do or die situations and the cold is secondry in this sitation.

[@ladyweasellou3367]

@@WarrenPuffet I'm aware, just tossed it out there. Hand granade. Always found it astonishing when we come across a recently frozen animal and *occasionally* able to bring it back with little to no negative effects. One of us will usually take it home to be sure but it's interesting. Did my training in The Carpathian Mountains and found a massive frozen bat, my instructor helped me save it. That was the funniest and most protective animal I've ever seen. Lost a little foot and primary 'toe' from frostbite so he hung wrong side up.

[@nightelf4306]

Unbelievable how calm he remains ... You notice that he has finished with his life and has accepted to die.

[@Teh_Random_Canadian]

Makes me wonder if he was hypoxic by them time he got to him

[@fonzieog5072]

@@Teh_Random_Canadian oh forsure. Dude was drowning in dry water

[@samaraisnt]

Have you guys ever met a snowboarder? They are incredibly relaxed. There’s a reason they call them the surfers of the slopes. They also accept that death and injury are pretty common, similar to motorcycle bikers. Makes for a very chill combination!!

[@alaska3390]

@@samaraisnt interesting

[@Jovi_97]

He was upside down aswell. All the blood rushing to your head can't be good for you

[@Roz-zi1ye]

That's crazy!! 🤯 That man is meant to LIVE...

[@catherineseapratt2938]

That’s legit what a hero is wow

[@Fmandan77]

Probably one of the most intense real videos I've seen in some time. A lot of it is realizing how alone that snow border must have felt prior to being rescued. Thank God this skier was observant, prepared and intelligent in his approach.

[@kebub1]

imagine how unrealistic and pure luck was that. i find it hard to believe and i wouldnt be surprise if that was staged.

[@pigger1010]

@@kebub1 I feel like it would be pretty hard to stage the state of burriedness the guy is in.

[@kebub1]

@@pigger1010 idk maybe. being find in snow like this where barely anyone passes by is like winning on lottery.

[@Meiken55]

@@kebub1 why don't you tell that to the commenter who lost his brother in the main comments 😂 probably didn't feel staged to him.

[@marisellaoneil8716]

@@kebub1 well winning the lottery is possible. If youve never had a moment where you had a crazy lucky, one in a lifetime moment, i wonder if you need to get out more. Ive had one in a lifetime experiences that people wouldnt have believed if there werent witnesses or cameras. Lucky one in a lifetime coincidences happen everyday all the time around the world

[@wereboarder2009]

This video never fails to restore my faith in humanity.

[@tonykari5124]

When i was 8 yrs old i got cought in a current & very high powerful waves at the beach & i kept swimming but the current was taking me out deeper & the waves kept tossing me around under water. Luckily 4 me a big "teenage" kid was big & strong and he helped me & took me to the edge of the beach front. I was so exhausted i couldn't walk. THANK God 4 these Individuals that R available at the right time huh. This video reminds me of that struggle i had as a little kid. No matter where u are. NATURE can & will be Cruel & Tough

[@artgecko2645]

Francis Zuber is the name of the rescuer. The news report credits Zuber and his avalanche-rescue training for saving snowboarder Ian Steger's life. I'm not a skier, and until now I've never really appreciated just how dangerous those tree wells are. Well done, Francis Zuber!

[@ubangis1]

Yes. I think most of us, being in situation like this, would try to help. You won't leave a snowboard in the snow and just skie away. But not all of us would have the skills and nerve for the rescue. For example, he took of the skies but immediately made some rampart with them, to serve as a lifesaver in case he would fall into some void below himself; he had not waisted precious time for assembling the shovel, but dug with his hands. And had the shovel in the backpack, I don't think everyone does this. Wonderful sample of responsibility, for himself and other people. Really very, very well done!

[@Tilith]

@@ubangis1 Yep he dug to the face first to allow him to breathe, using his hands in order to not hurt him with the shovel until he could have a better understanding of how the body is positioned so he could shovel safely . Very well done indeed.

[@rock-uu7qr]

dont really need avalanche training to know what to do here

[@idontno0]

​@@rock-uu7qr ya you would think it's common sense to dig with your hands to find his head... Would some moron really start sticking a shovel in there without knowing where the dudes face is?

[@mikellvene2964]

​@@rock-uu7qr I disagree, I think he did everything exactly right exactly Right!

[@soft.nd.golden]

It's incredible that the skier took the same path as the snowboarder and was able to see him, stop and help him all in time for it to not be fatal.. it is Literally insane.. good for them. What an incredible moment

[@cumcumcum148]

He didn't just seen him. I think he felt that he scraped that guy's snowboard, and noticed it

[@samp6237]

Exactly what I was thinking! For him to take that same path was nothing short of a miracle.

[@GriffinK10]

@@samp6237 he might have seen that the snowboarder was going down a dangerous path and gone to make sure everything went smoothly

[@matiasagostinho4532]

And catch it on camera

[@dirk143]

pure Luck, never go completely alone.

[@mikebartoli4755]

How was that dude not dead? This guy was not only ultra alert but he came prepared! True Hero!

[@atur9707]

That snow had a lot of air and wasn't densely packed ... which fortunately gave them more time before he would suffocate

[@jacksprrow]

Thats God for ya.

[@russellzauner]

100% guarantee same thing happened to the dude that rescued him so he started carrying small pack in case it happened again - also he was using a lot of words that first responders do and was extra smart about how to use his poles flat to gain climb traction and skis to brace up the fluffy stuff so he could have a platform to dig down from. If he could have walked to him, he would have - but it was so loose in the cluster of tree wells that he would have either been buried on the way and/or fell in on the original victim.

[@daz1676]

@@radiomandelbrot5868 your breath initially melts the snow around your mouth giving you some time to breathe, it then starts to form an ice wall/pocket that won’t melt and you will suffocate very shortly after.

[@wholeshebang1]

@jacksprrow - No, it's not. That *_skier_* who happened to be _following_ him was *_close enough_* and he noticed the *snowboard* as he skied over it. He was *prepared* and _carried a shovel_ for this purpose, and he was *_calm_* and *_capable_* in rescuing the boarder. No "sky-daddy" needed.

[@dennisl8602]

man he turned around at the right moment and just saw a piece of that other dude. i dunno if they were buddies skiing together or what, but no doubt, that dudes a hero!!!!

[@jsphwckd]

I was holding my breath. What a hero

[@toumatsch]

I get chills all over. I was in 2005 in the boarders position in the swiss alps. Someone rescued me. Thank you brave heros.

[@FRACTUREDFUNGI]

No One Will Ever Know What I Did To Get One Like On This Reply

[@GLOBAL-INTIFADA]

Wow that's crazy how does that happen as in getting so deep? I never seen snow I live in Aus and never traveled to a part with snow. Not being a dick

[@sp4nrs]

@@GLOBAL-INTIFADA the snow is very soft and sometimes very far down to the hard pack. Under trees tend to be big wells which you can kinda fall into. You wouldn’t believe how soft the snow is until you get stuck in it. I’ve been stuck up to my waist with a snowboard on, it took me so long to free myself. Then you move and just sink again, it’s brutal!

[@beastiekat4562]

@@GLOBAL-INTIFADA it's so difficult to just walk through fresh snow! it takes so much energy out of you! and everything is working against you

[@solarnaut]

@@sp4nrs "QUICK SNOW " ? Yeah, thanks for what you explained ... you can kinda see it looks like he took a head first dive next to a tree... ///suppose the evergreens may heat from the sun and create these pockets?/// EDIT, Wiki: TREE WELL : A tree well, also known as a SPRUCE TRAP, is the space around a tree under its branches that does not get the same amount of snow as the surrounding open space. This creates a void or area of loose snow below the branches and around the trunk that is dangerous to any hikers, snowshoers, skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers who fall into them. If someone lands in such a well, often as a result of a fall, it can be too deep for them to climb up the surrounding loose snow before they are buried. Making the situation more dangerous, they often fall into the well head-first and as the result of an accident which could leave them injured or unconscious.

[@dillonfox7433]

Not only is he lucky enough for someone to find him and help, the person that finds him has a SHOVEL and a video camera. Amazing video.

[@jesser999]

That's because it's fake.

[@OfficialCANVAS]

@@jesser999 you can't fake almost dying

[@graveyardduck7017]

@@jesser999 or the dude is well prepared in case something were to go wrong on a snowy mountain.

[@jeantortuga570]

@@graveyardduck7017 shovel is a mandatory piece of equipment when going off-piste, I don't understand how people can think it's a matter of coincidence.

[@holdintheaces7468]

If you’re off-piste/backcountry skiing, you better damn well have a shovel. This guy is lucky, yeah, but his rescuers having a shovel should be considered normal.

[@rockandrollfezz]

Take your time man ☺️ this hit hard 👍🏻 well done to you on what you did 💜💜💜

[@Section8dc]

Ive come back to this video several times, its such a miracle and always makes me feel thankful for everything I have🙏

[@kg_canuck]

Kind of a wholesome moment, telling him "we're both gonna just catch our breath for a second". Terrifying situation, but you both handled it really well and didn't panic. Good on both of you, and stay safe out there

[@Glowstick48]

Well I wouldn’t say there was no panic You can hear the guys heartbeat and the adrenaline filling up which means he’s panicking to a extent He’s just not letting it consume and overtake his ability to think clearly of what to do and how to react And the guy under the snow I’m sure he’s panicking but he’s also buried headfirst in thick fresh fallen powder snow which might as well be concrete to him so despite panicking and probably attempting to flail and get out there was about butt fuck all he could do with that panic once your hear him gulp in a few breaths of air and respond though you can tell he thought he was dead

[@Leg3ndKilla687]

“Take your time”

[@jackbauer3104]

@@Glowstick48 well said

[@cavemann_]

Honestly that line was incredibly comforting. He made it look like he had it under control, which he did, but that reassurance is still nice to feel when you're in a situation like this.

[@scuffedclips1]

its staged to go viral he just happened to be filming

[@lunecker]

Hes so lucky, not only did he get passed by other person in such a place, not only he got noticed, but also the person thatnoticed him was really well prepared for a situation like this. Wow.

[@wontonschannel]

0:34 I really can't imagine how much pressure he felt while he was trying to climb up that snow there. Just barely inching up, only feet away from your goal, *which is to save someone's life*

[@ThePainOfSilenc]

For those who have never skiied before, just doing that movement, 0:35, of shuffling your skis back and forth, trying to go up a slope in all that loose snow is incredibly exhausting. You can hear the man breathing heavily while doing it and then to also dig that man out of the snow is truly a Herculean effort. God bless this man for saving this snowboarder.

[@soccermastax]

people seem to forget all of this exercise on top of that is at high altitude with thin air. its like wearing a mask basically while trying to run sprints

[@betsylaughlin8652]

Yes! Amazing truly

[@karamellcreme]

@@soccermastax Nevermind wearing a mask, it’s like wearing a plastic bag over your whole head!

[@Jeffspecial]

his adrenaline must have been pumping for him to do this.

[@gausly1032]

yea that level of physical activity especially in such an intense situation was borderline superhuman lol

[@thedecentgamer7818]

That man is astonishingly calm for being stuck in such a situation

[@N3w1M]

More like in shock

[@josephcarrier5093]

he had probably already accepted death at that point.

[@AnonyMoose-yp7xe]

Shock is a weird state of mind. Indescribable.

[@Cheesepuff8]

Well you only have so much stress chemicals in stuff in you, eventually you just run out

[@Sleydo]

I think he was just so glad that he was found that he felt a massive relief, hearing him dig must have been the sound of his guardian angel to him

[@MuppetChops]

This is the best video I’ve seen in weeks. Makes me feel like humanity has hope

[@ninja4187]

Thank God for people like you and for you being at the right place at the right time. Much love ❤️