Tree well rescue at Mt. Baker (Original)

Tree well rescue in the Mt. Baker side country. I was skiing a zone with a partner when I passed by a snowboarder upsidedown and buried in a tree well. I only caught a glimpse of his board but it was enough to get my attention.
The boarder was with a group of three other riders, all very experienced and carrying beacon, shovel, probe, and walkies.

[@GoPro]

What an incredible, life-saving rescue that shows a true hero in action. Thank you for sharing.

[@smiln2697]

Sort this brother out with a GoPro he deserves it

[@DustinGuy123]

@@smiln2697 he already has one tho

[@smiln2697]

@@DustinGuy123 no such thing as too many GoPros

[@ChristianRunsNY]

@@DustinGuy123 Backups are always nice!

[@sillyDevin2015]

Give him line of the year/season. No run beats this.

[@thewinterwoods]

Dude you are an actual hero. There is a 100% chance he would have died without your help.

[@GroundbreakGames]

within a minute or two he would have likely at least had brain damage. You are 100% right that he saved his life.

[@juangarcia1974]

Without a doubt this would be fatality, lucky guy and a good ending story.👍🏼

[@PDGX]

Right call taking the skis off, as tough as it is to move without them. (I was mentally debating this while watching.). Handled everything perfectly: clearing airway being top priority. Kudos.

[@commonsense6869]

@@PDGX and it looks like he laid across the skiis for support so he wouldn't sink into the snow

[@dereks7061]

@@commonsense6869 almost, used them like ice picks. He was able to push them into the snow to create a pull up bar almost as the steep angle doesn’t look steep on camera but you can tell it’s pretty vertical. Add the waist deep snow and it’s hard to move at all - brilliant move!

[@WhisperingWinds0]

"Take your time man" those four words are heartwrenching when you think about the whole situation. He probably had accepted his death. So when you came along, there was no rush for him. he was saved the moment he saw you

[@JoseMarchantChique]

I tought he said:"thank you my man", now i understand and you almost made me drop a tear seriously

[@TK-cl1jm]

He didn't say take your time. He said "Thank you." Oops, I was wrong.😊

[@WhisperingWinds0]

@@TK-cl1jm 5:00 he says "Take your time man".

[@TK-cl1jm]

​@Lucas.Fuentes Yes! I missed that! You're all exactly right, thanks for the time stamp!

[@theadventureparent]

I think also once he could breath he knew he was ok. That was a lot of snow on top of him but he could still get air in his lungs. Terrifying to fall in head first to a tree well and then to top it off the snow from the tree mustve fallen on top of him. That's a whole lotta snow.

[@heqitao]

Your instincts were so spot on, no hesitation, systematically got to him and dug down to clear his airway. Once you established contact, you chilled, took a sec and communicated positively and kept the victim feeling safe. But mostly the humanity to stop and race back to see if the guy was in trouble makes you a 1 in a million. We can all be inspired by your actions on that day.

[@ophello]

1 in a million people would stop to help someone buried in snow? I think the opposite is true. I think 999999 in a million would.

[@heqitao]

@@ophello It was obviously hyperbole, and just a turn of phrase, but I love your faith in humanity. Take care.

[@hughjanus5518]

​@@ophello Nah, so many woukd think "not my business" and continue on..

[@Freegame4.]

​@@hughjanus5518yeah there would sadly actually be people that would do that

[@mordret103]

​@@hughjanus5518 when I was skiing, I would see people help those that had a fall all the time. But that is here in Europe, Idk about the US or sth

[@andrzejkucharzyk9970]

I know some people might feel im being stupid focusing on that, but damn the words spoken by the rescuing gentleman were the perfect mixture of kindness and professionalism.

[@BBQ-King-s6j]

No one thinks you’re being stupid brother. We all appreciate this man’s heroism and kindness.

[@theadventureparent]

Thank you for reminding me to pack a shovel. Amazing. I know how hard it is to fight through that snow. So close but so far away. You are a hero.

[@VFRyan800]

Just the fact that he grabbed and shook the board! as well, to let him know someone was there. Snow has a tendency to suppress sound and he understood that too.

[@shawncoulter7274]

Shaking the board also let him establish which was the boarder was facing and establish his airway faster.

[@mannotmyth]

I’ve never commented on a KZbin video before. However, as a veteran, retired firefighter/paramedic, and current Nursing Supervisor your efforts should get a standing ovation. You conveyed an undeniable sense of confidence and acted without hesitation. Everything was done as it would’ve been done by professional rescuers. Absolutely inspiring. Thank you sharing and setting such a valorous example.

[@savage22bolt32]

Pretty good for your first comment!

[@RobWormaldPlus]

@@savage22bolt32 right? valorous is such a good word!

[@tumbooo]

You also deserve very high praise! Thank you for all that’s been done on your end you are a true hero to our society!

[@dahnawa1957]

That’s what I got. Dude was prepared mentally and even equipped with a shovel. What a hero.

[@TheVirtualOz]

As a retired teacher, navy seal, chef, professional soccer coach, president of the university of Nebraska, and current member of the NCAA basketball hall of fame I salute you for all you have done to make this country great again.

[@jackdavid4721]

Edit: please check out the interviews with both parties involved. Not my story to tell. I was filling info before this got picked up The guy in the tree well is my ski buddy's uncle. Has 30 years of boarding experience up at Baker, knows his shit but got unlucky. Tried to shoot those narrow trees hoping for an opening below but wound up taking a tumble in the wrong place. My friend was telling me that he was in there for about 5 minutes before this man saved his life. It is a miracle and an excellent example of the dangers of deep snow immersion and tree wells. Even if you know the mountain, are skiing with friends and are an expert rider, the mountain does not care and can humble you quickly

[@Sz6EJ]

Do you know if he's given any interviews or if the news has caught hold of this yet? Some of the craziest footage of a rescue I've seen.

[@jackdavid4721]

@@Sz6EJ good morning america/ ABC picked it up

[@topherdean1024]

Well said. This can happen even in bounds. I was skiing in Tahoe a few weeks ago and towards the end of the day, I was still finding fresh lines in the trees. My Cousin had already gone back to the lodge and I just remember thinking, don't go down, they'll find you in July.

[@cheetoritos]

I feel like Francis came in just in time! How long can someone even be stuck like that and not just pass out/suffocate? I know I sure as hell wouldn't be able to hold my breath for 5 minutes.

[@KahluaBomb]

@@cheetoritos They say 15 minutes or so has a very high survival chance. Every minute after that your odds drop

[@Hawkeye517]

Another commenter said it perfectly: The boarder had his most unlucky day AND his most lucky day in his life within 5 minutes on the same day!

[@vx1982]

Thanks so much for digging out my old friend Ian, he was so lucky you were right in his tracks and just did everything right !

[@CrimmzZT]

yo wait hold up hows ian doin?

[@CrimmzZT]

watched some more vids ians fine!

[@y0yle_st4rz..27]

no way hows he doing now?? before, i did a whole rabbit hole dive on this thing but never got near the bottom so i wanna explore more of this dtory

[@RokkMusik]

Awesome job! You were situationally aware, acted quickly to clear the airway, and had the composure to communicate with the victim well as you did it.

[@freddyjimjim5602]

And had a shovel in his bag!

[@Greg-yu4ij]

That was terrifying! The snow kept falling on his face, some real nightmare fuel. Great rescue.

[@kevinbishop6582]

The dude, buried 6 feet under the snow. He asked are you good? Yeah I’m good. In this case, I would say that’s a relative term.

[@bartholomewlyons]

Victim? He wasn’t being assaulted

[@chess598]

​@@bartholomewlyons In outdoor accidents it's common practice to talk about the folks involved as victims.

[@rockjockchick]

I could feel your panic as you fought the snow to try to get to him in time. You are amazing. So quick and so determined. You did amazing. Thank you for being an awesome human being.

[@mt.hoodmeadows9535]

Your preparedness for the conditions and following deep snow safety procedures saved a life. We will share your video to bring attention to the many skiers and snowboarders who seek the thrill of deep powder unaware of the dangers and the responsibilities they have to prepare for them. Thank you Francis!

[@HawgRiderBC]

Fantastic example of tree well immersion and a perfect example of the rescue. Never ski alone when off piste, especially when there's a lot of deep snow. I'm a 55+ year skier, and this is literally my biggest nightmare. If there's ever more than a foot of fresh powder, I carry my beacon, probe, whistle, and shovel. Edit: I've read elsewhere that the snowboarder was with 2 other snowboarders and had all his avalanche gear. But he was the last of the 3, and by the time the other 2 had climbed back up the mountain (if they were even capable of climbing back up the steep slope), it would likely have been too late. He also didn't really get caught in a tree well. He went between two tight trees and was knocked backward by the trees, and then all the snow fell on top of him, burying him. He had avi gear and a walkie-talkie but couldn't reach them buried under that much snow.

[@harlekinmorow5081]

Oh gawd!!!! That's absolutely horrible 😭😭😭😭😭 I'm glad he got saved nonetheless!! This shows that even coming prepared sometimes is not enough... Truly scary ( ͒ ́ඉ .̫ ඉ ̀ ͒)

[@user-mb4ig1bq5p]

​@@harlekinmorow5081it's not scary. It is a risk one takes for going backcountry.

[@silenz_178]

The way he says thank you… breaks my heart. Amazing rescue

[@Incrementium]

It's so understated but you really feel the subtext its like "thank you, I was starting to lose consciousness and I was already sure I was dead."

[@bradmccurdy]

I lost a good friend of mine at kirkwood California in 1991 who died exactly how this guy was trapped. There was 5 of us in our group 2 skiers and 3 snowboarder in 3ft to 5ft of fresh powder one of the snowboarders that day was legend shuan palmer. We all charging the mountain on chair 6 it was dumping. We got to chair lift and there was only 4 of us we waited and our friend who I have not named so to not bring painfully memories to loved ones. He was found after 7hrs and 15 ski patrols, search and rescue crew a small group of locals who volunteered to ski with the 4 of us tracing the lines where we started together that morning. Sadly we skied right over him run after run only until someone got a glimpse of his board. A scene I will never forget. Soooo stoked that this one in a million chance this guy seen his board is absolutely incredible you are a true hero. I have been in tear balling because this is exactly what happened that day but we dug out or friend who was dead. Seeing is powerful God bless you. Your a angel cause he would have died in minutes absolutely incredible.

[@bradmccurdy]

😊

[@Moose0fNorway]

I actually teared up a bit watching this... You're a hero, I can't begin to imagine the psychological trauma that man must have battled with while slowly realizing that he might actually die... You're a hero, and I wish that society would put focus on acts like this, instead of "pranks" and horrible lipsync videos...

[@btburger1]

Thanks for posting this. I have 3 reactions: 1) The boarder was incredibly lucky that you saw him. 2) He was equally lucky that, once you saw him, you were strong enough to get to him quickly, aware of how to respond properly, AND calm enough to stay focused. You were amazing. 3) "Ski with a partner" is usually of little value to the person in back. In this case, if *you* had landed in a tree well, by the time your partner realized you weren't there, it probably would have been too late for him to climb back uphill in deep powder, find you, and save you. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it probably means staying in constant visual or aural contact, which is very hard.

[@dirtbagseth]

Sometimes it helps to ride next to each other. Or to hoot and holler back and forth.

[@craptify]

In deep powder like that, we keep eyes on each other at all times even if that means stopping more often, or going one at a time.

[@ozsnowbum]

Ride with sena pi Bluetooth headsets/helmets. Literally the best safety device ever

[@snowsurfr]

Ride in very small groups on pow days and wear bright identifiable clothing, not black or white.

[@andrewstringer5836]

​@Seth Burke Hoot and holler it up! Especially if you're the rider behind. Easiest and most natural feeling way to keep in contact. I like to do this mountain biking too. If you're in front and stop hearing yewps behind you, probably a good idea to stop and check...

[@vitraiser3917]

I know first hand how it feels when the seconds are ticking away and you are trying to save someone's life. That stress is like nothing else. I hope you have been recovering well from this experience. You are a Hero

[@nickdambrosia2304]

Hats off to the rescuer. He stayed collected the entire time and went right for the airway. It's common sense for backcountry folk to know this but we have to give props where they're due. He also managed the situation well even after freeing the airway. Great work and thanks for sharing!

[@MrKodiKash]

You can hear him pushing himself to the limit of what his muscles could do digging him out. So much adrenaline yet keeping composure and talking to the victim. You should be proud for how you handled yourself.

[@jasonwatts8077]

You can literally see the moment when the boarder realizes that he isn't going to die alone in that hole. Such an amazing moment. Thank you for giving this young person their life back. 😢

[@tobinmarsh5148]

Francis, we all salute you. Your total commitment to saving a stranger's life is a beautiful thing to capture. God bless you and your household for all your days.

[@HeadlessHorsemanProductions]

As a life-long firefighter, a long hat-tip salute to this guy. Literally saved his life, with exceptional composure.

[@HH-hy8ph]

Dude, my partner and I have watched this video several times and it gives me chills every time. We are avid boarders and we have raised our kids on boards. We always talk about how dangerous tree wells are, but I’ve never seen it. We will be showing this to our kids as a precautionary example. The boarder was amazingly chill. I would have been weeping to be saved. So glad everything turned out okay.

[@andrewlockhart841]

@T I would say he was most certainly chilled... Sorry I'll see myself out.

[@davidhutch307]

@@andrewlockhart841 I want you back onstage

[@TopicalUsername]

In an interview Francis said the boarder was likely so unemotional because he was in shock and still processing the emotions of knowing you're going to die and then that changing, and also tired from trying to dig himself out and having low oxygen. But really the miracle is how calmly Francis dealt with the situation, not wasting any time or energy and also having the empathy to let the boarder take a breather (quite literally) once the airway was hastily established.

[@mrkingjesse378]

@@TopicalUsername this

[@GlossaME]

Stop doing idiotic sports. For the love of your kids

[@DuelistMandroid]

You can now live the rest of your life knowing you saved that guys life. What a fantastic human being you are!! Bravo sir BRAVO!!❤

[@jutley6473]

Holy shit man. You deserve an award or a go fund me or something. This is nothing short of amazing. I would love to see the rest of the rescue but understand you have your reasons for cutting it off. I cant even begin to fathom how hard it was physically to do what you did let alone the panic of saving someone suffocating. Mind blowing. You definitely are getting a like and follow but wish I could do more

[@Hn-hl4pz]

I've watched this like three times and it brings tears to my eyes. I can only imagine how terrifying it must've been. You're a hero, man.

[@bradmcdonald884]

Has me tearing up also, so glad this turned out like it did.

[@HawgRiderBC]

I've watched it a dozen times and forwarded it to every skier I know.

[@ilivemylifeaquartermileata9147]

New fear unlocked...I will never go into the trees alone... HOLY CRAP. You truly saved that boarders life. Take a bow sir. You deserve it!!! BRAvO!

[@HawgRiderBC]

Unfortunately, the best snow is in the trees. I take my avi gear (beacon, probe, and shovel) with me any time there's more than a foot of fresh snow, even on resort runs.

[@AN-jw2oe]

@@HawgRiderBC maybe take the trees on a regular year, but try to avoid them during a RECORD SNOWFALL year when tree wells are multiple times more dangerous!

[@HawgRiderBC]

@A N Find and watch the interview with these 2 ppl. He was boarding in the back country and didn't fall in a tree well. He went between to tight trees and fell backwards, and then the snow fell from the tree and buried him. Sure, watch out for tree wells, but the best snow is in the trees, and that's where ppl will ski. If you're a weenie skier/boarder, definitely stay on a groomed run, but there's no point for good skiers. And there's another reason for skiing in the trees, the avalanche danger is much less.

[@Chereese0808]

WOW!! Talk about luck! Excellent job Francis!! The snowboarders number wasn't up. You're his angel no doubt!

[@RyanRidesPGH]

Someone died in a tree well when I was visiting Heavenly this year and I couldn’t help but think about how lonely it would be to die like that. You did a good thing and by sharing helped everyone else learn. Thank you!

[@travisreid9220]

You're the man!! I'm crying here. You're an absolute hero. Well done! That boarder needs to buy you next year's pass. :)

[@28th_St_Air]

More like a “life”time pass.

[@MarileeValkass]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Most people say they respect the tree well danger, but your video makes us all FEEL it. That person may as well have been buried in wet cement. You saved his life and hopefully, many others because you have shared the experience.

[@eligebrown8998]

Gave me anxiety

[@ripandtear]

Just searched it up, tree wells are a death trap

[@ColorfulChaos-cy7xx]

Let it sink in that you saved a life. You saved someone from dyinhmg slowly completly upside down in the deep snow. You’re, a, hero! Let that sink in.

[@michaelb.7355]

From every snowboarder out there: past, present, and future I say thank you Francis,

[@koibold]

This video is going in my playlist to periodically watch and to pass on to others whenever tree well conversations come up. I think this video could easily save more lives.

[@FirstName-nf4fx]

Download it. KZbin may take it away. I'm in my early 40s and I've heard of tree wells but never seen the danger like this before! Saving the video to show my ski buddies.

[@timsmith2156]

this was unbelievable. should be a training film for tree well rescue. nicely done!

[@jsat2011]

You are a complete stranger and yet one of my favourite people. I can’t imagine the gratitude one would feel hearing your voice in what would be one’s final moments. A true hero!

[@augere9620]

You two need to be on a podcast to talk about this situation. This is a miracle and a blessing and the fact it was all captured on camera!!

[@michaeliglesias2806]

I came here just to thank you for saving that boarder’s life. Much respect from Florida.

[@Jaybo454]

Damn, moving out to Baker this year for a job at WWU. This really just solidified the importance of getting into an AVI training course and riding with experienced back country riders. You just save his life and that’s insane! You are a hero

[@ratman19731]

I don't know know if it was but,this very well could have been inbounds on a powder day.

[@DeadSpaceman2012]

@@ratman19731 Very true. The person who died earlier this season was inbounds. Ride with a friend. Good to have friends on pow days.

[@GroundbreakGames]

Also happened to a buddy of mine at Baker a few years ago. He said he was starting to see spots and began giving up on surviving when he was pulled out by a guy who just so happen to see him take a sketchy run alone so he figured he'd follow him just in case. The guy watched it happen, and got him out as he was blacking out. That's how quickly you can die out there. I don't think he's ever snowboarded since.

[@jeremyallen5976]

@@ratman19731been riding baker for like 5 years now and I don’t think this is in bounds. There can definitely be this much snow in bounds tho

[@sandynelson1098]

Don't ever go alone people disappear every year. Please 🙏

[@petitepaperiedesignco.8287]

Unbelievable rescue, had me in tears. It was serendipitous that you ended up right there at the right time. He is one lucky guy, I hope you both sat down and regrouped for a bit after this. Bravo.

[@jaym.4961]

It was just not his time to die

[@rafaelalbertotorres8070]

This video should be watched by all who venture in the trees to show what can happen (the boarder would have had zero chance of getting out on his own) and how to composedly react. Thank you for saving his life.

[@marge_owie]

You are an angel walking among us!! Thank you for stopping to save Ian ❤️🙏🏽

[@j.thomas7128]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you for being aware of your surroundings. Thank you for not wasting a second of time. Thank you for carrying gear such as a shovel. Thank you for putting yourself at risk to help out a stranger.

[@michaelgormley2294]

This is why i love ski/Snowboard culture. No man left behind, amazing work & composure OP. You met the moment when not many others could have. Truly a guardian angel.

[@BethGrantDeRoos]

So impressive AND so informative. Having beacon, shovel, probe, walkies and the ability to stay focused makes you a GREAT teacher!

[@TheAlchemist8]

Wow!! You’re a hero. Francis, you saved his life. Thank you!

[@longlifeprinters9]

That was the most intense skiing thing I have ever seen. So glad you stopped & assessed what happened, & got him out.

[@charlesagilbert1]

Yes, I would love to hear more about the story who both of you were, how did that happen, and most definitely what happened afterwards, you guys will be bonded and friends for life I’m sure!

[@humphreyjohnson8578]

Incredible . . . and horrifying to watch. You were 100% brilliant. You saved a life, and gave us all a very impressive and important lesson. Thank you, and very well done.

[@josephosha4321]

Heroic rescue, truly. That said - if this boarder was "very experienced" then he and his friends would have known that you stay very close together in the trees. You pair up, and the following skier/rider calls out every few seconds, so the leader knows he's still there. If this guy had been in the well for five minutes, you should have heard his buddies close by, calling out for him. I see way too many people in back country conditions think that just because they've got the equipment - beacon, shovel, walkie, etc - that means they can ignore good safety practices. Not so. Your beacon is worthless if your buddy doesn't notice that you're missing until 5 minutes have passed. Things happen very quickly in deep snow and trees. So kudos to this rescuer, and to the boarder, hopefully he'll remember to actually buddy up the next time he wants to do a tree line in deep snow.

[@nicolaslennartz]

Thanks for sharing. Good reminder for all of us. I'm sure this boarder is a competent rider who never thought he'd end up where he did, and how lucky that you happened to slow roll that tree gap and saw him? Unreal. Ride safe out there everyone.

[@jenniferlynne3314]

30 yr snowboarder who’s very familiar with that area and unfortunately the last in his group of a couple other friends. He had a radio on him but couldn’t use it. So lucky.

[@snoski]

One of the best vids I've ever seen. What an act of heroism and humanity!! I've been buried while snowboarding. Granted it was with my head up and I could still breathe. But I still felt pretty helpless for a few minutes. I cannot imagine the terror of being buried upside down. Thank you for showing us the good that exists in people!

[@connercurtis3920]

absolutely insane that you ever saw the boarder in the first place. come thru those trees at 0:30 any faster and you wouldn’t have even seen him. took me 3 watches just to notice the snowboard upside down. incredible save!

[@avril.227]

I’m from the Baker area, don’t worry, just snowshoeing for me, 😅 and you give me faith that there are kind souls willing to help. Don’t know how you saw him or saw him in time but you are incredible 🤟🏼

[@AN-jw2oe]

Amazing that you caught this all on video! I used your edited video (on the news station channel) to teach my kids about tree well and snow survival and safety… That snowfall is insane, I pointed out how clever you were to use your skis horizontally when you could not even climb upwards in that powder. I also told them to never buy a white snowboard (as mine is unfortunately white)… and to never attempt trees in such deep powder unless you can continue to see the person you are with. Thank you for being such a wonderful example of a human being, for saving this guy’s life!

[@Skinnersteadratterrierpuppies]

Spray paint 🎨 would be a great solution to the white board 👌

[@AN-jw2oe]

@@Skinnersteadratterrierpuppies nice idea, but it will just start flaking off…

[@bstrac77]

You are a hero and this guy truly had someone looking over him that day. If you took path a little more to the right or left, then you don't see this guy. Thank God you did! And thank you for sharing this with us. Tree wells are no joke and we need a constant reminder of the danger that they pose.

[@linnielvelvet7970]

Watching this literally gave me goosebumps!! This was so insane to watch! I cannot imagine the amount of adrenaline and probably also panick that went through your body..you’re a literal hero dude! You listended to your instincts and saved his life like a true guardian angel! 🙏

[@44Paws]

A friend of mines little brother tragically passed this way. BLESS YOUR HEART! ❤ You are a true Angel on earth!

[@MOFFA2023]

We loose our humanity the very day we refuse to help each other. God bless you really good for this act of kindness. Such an amazing human being you are.

[@nwart4773]

Holy Wow! That was some fast thinking and action. So happy you came along. I fell in a tree well as a teenager at Mount Baker. Luckily my head wasn't buried but I could not get myself out (skis locked on and buried a few feet). Some guys came by and saved me after screaming for help 15 minutes or so. I was worried no one would find me.

[@tv.girl_11]

KZbin is one of the worst places because stuff like faking videos and toxicity but this gives me hope. A True hero ❤️

[@robwilliamson6831]

I have skied in that kind of terrain, and can see how this can happen so easily. The luck of seeing the board as he skied by was breathtaking. Having been stuck in a tree well myself, but not fully buried, I can relate to the effort to get out of one. This guy did one amazing job. Kudos!

[@FujishimaAkiko]

Those tree walls are no joke... Thank goodness you spotted him!

[@МИККИМИККИ-з3я]

Большое Вам спасибо и низкий поклон за спасённую человеческую жизнь !!!

[@theeoarsman921]

Exactly what I was thinking!😄

[@jumpinjason]

I always have known tree wells are dangerous and to never do trees alone, but this video really puts that in perspective. Thank you for posting this. You may be saving even more lives thru education!

[@zeyolivetree]

as a snowboarder and a notoriously claustrophobic person, this has always been one of my greatest irrational fears. you, my friend, are a god damn hero and a true treasure. thank you, truly. Edit: a word

[@nkita7363]

I don’t think it’s that irrational 😢 please stay safe!

[@devicefuliostutorials]

Thank you for rescuing him. You are a hero. I'd love to see the rest of this video.

[@MaxxSend]

Would've loved to see your conversation together afterwards. What an incredible moment of near death, luck and heroism!

[@bl00df4rt]

This was so much scarier that I thought it was going to be. As someone that ride’s probably 30-40 times a season, absolute chills. Good reminder to always carry beacon, shovel, and probe

[@palmsole]

Amazing rescue effort you dig like a rescue dog with such ferocity and accuracy I could feel the immediacy of such an intense situation. Respect to nature and to you good sir!

[@user-rw7xd7qy3j]

I was a ski instructor for many years and have had similar experiences and scares like this. This brought back vivid memories and chills down my spine. My adrenaline was surging just like yours watching this video. God bless you for saving him❤

[@victoria9810]

First, that snow sounds so fluffy and inviting and damn your bad luck and his bad luck of going down in the same spot, ended up being very very lucky indeed. Good looking out for one another and keep enjoying that snow.

[@aceofsouls7243]

What a terrifying moment and what a miracle that you were there to recognize the situation and help him out. Much respect to you man.

[@davidjblaszka]

Fast action! A few things I noticed. You stopped and asked if he was okay when he was stuck board side up. So many people would have kept cruising because the snow was too good to stop, or assumed he was fine. Checking in with others on the mountain is so key! The second was how long it took you to go 10 feet back up hill. When it's chest high snow it's incredibly hard to make uphill progress, so stopping where you did was super helpful. And third, he was way more buried than you might think. Great work!

[@millstreetdrumchannel8005]

4th thing: His pack was well organized, and he was familiar using his rescue equipment. That was an emotional video. And incredibly lucky that the rescuer skied that particular line at that moment, fell and looked back up mountain. Odds were against it.....beyond coincidence!

[@jarvsky1]

You're a hero! Thanks for sharing this experience. Those Baker tree wells are no joke. Keep being awesome.

[@duncanburnette3559]

Everyone in his family, and that he knows will forever cherish you! What a blessing you are!

[@tienthyule]

this is the hero that saved a person from disappearing, good job bro!!

[@gunnarelisigurjonsson2587]

So lucky to notice that board. What a guy. Would love to know more about the digging and aftermath

[@kimrutherford6471]

My husband commented on how you dug him out on an angle and freed his mouth first before trying to dig out his whole body was done perfectly. People don't understand how hard it is trying to free someone with all that snow surrounding them. You did good.

[@canberroo2509]

You, sir, are a true hero. That man owes his life to your incredibly keen eye and obvious preparedness.

[@dereks7061]

There’s a dozen things that scare and bug me about this video, but doood…. You are a hero. I doubt he had time to wait for the next person to find him. You’re preparedness, your skills, and your humanity were all on display. Great job bro

[@shelliea4621]

I've watched this video countless times in the last few weeks on many different channels. It keeps popping up in my recommended & I click on it every time because it keeps blowing me away every time that I watch it. It's unbelievable that you saw him and in time to save his life. There's no way his buddies could have gotten back to the top & got to him in time. It is a true miracle. Anyhow, just saw it again in my side panel & noticed that you posted it so I made sure to watch it again on your channel so you get the views you deserve.

[@thecuriousvida]

Makes you wonder about things like fate and destiny. You're a hero either way dude!

[@Lucia-Sosa]

Found this on TikTok and had to find the full video here on KZbin. You are an actual hero. My god … 😭

[@ЮлияНика-ю7р]

От этого видео слезы на глазах😢 Вот что значит оказаться в нужном месте в нужный час. Теперь вы ангел хранитель для этого парня 👍

[@theeoarsman921]

Took the words right out of my mouth!!!😄

[@seanjohnson8225]

GD!!! This is the best video I’ve ever seen. No staged camera and set, just someone rushing to do the right thing.

[@wolfinadogsuit]

I just witnessed a miracle. You are such an Angel. Thank you

[@nathandoyle7050]

Francis you saved this mans life! Guardian angel, the fact you chose that line and went straight to him blows my mind he would have died.

[@MetalManiak93]

God damn man. I think this clip just changed my life for real. Thank you for what you did. I can only aspire on doing something like this for somebody else.

[@Chloeeeeee3e]

This is incredible. Instead of leaving the snowboard he checked up in it just incase and managed to save a man’s life.

[@Jerbert-qn4in]

You are a hero dude ❤️. Thank you so much, may you guys be friends forever

[@michaelcronin1197]

Wow! The stars aligned on that one. What are the chances that this incredibly competent and well equipped rescuer happens upon this snowboarder? Incredible job!

[@tankboy2adfwd]

Right time, right place, observant, prepared, level headed, and quick-acting. You sir are squared away.

[@jackg1015]

This guy is a hero and the guy who was buried is lucky to have him see and rescue him

[@anointedandblessed8949]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who came here because I saw a clip @Dylan_Anderson shorts I came hunting for you. I pray you generational blessing for this deed that you followed that inner voice that spoke that day to go skiing and to go down that particular trail.

[@nathanvenzara]

This is the best of humanity. Thank you!

[@rajatbajracharya4697]

At first, I thought the person wearing the orange jacket in the beginning of the video was the one who got buried under the snow but nope, the other guy was wearing a blue jacket. Makes you wonder how long he had been trapped there... Kudos to you for saving his life!

[@MonoZeus]

You are a HERO. 100% this man was dead had you not arrived when you did! May God bless you and yours!

[@sceadu7073]

Sometimes we are led down a path that leads to a miracle. You were heaven sent! 👏😇

[@guususus]

Imagine if he zigged instead of zagged, he would have never been found on time