Colorado snowmobiler survives after being buried in avalanche
Man was buried for about an hour
A snowmobiler was rescued after being buried in an avalanche, Colorado officials said.
On Monday the snowmobiler was caught in an avalanche on Shrine Mountain in Vail Pass, according to an accident report by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
The man’s riding partner tried to use his avalanche rescue transceiver to find him but wasn’t getting a signal, officials said.
He called 911, and Summit County deputies and the Summit County Rescue Group responded, officials said.
As a rescuer was walking the field, they saw part of the snowmobiler’s avalanche airbag sticking out of the snow, the report said.
Rescuers found the snowmobiler, conscious and speaking but cold, under 2 feet of snow, according to a Facebook post by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
He was rescued an hour after being buried, officials said.
He was sent to a hospital to be evaluated, officials said.
Summit County is about an 80-mile drive southwest from Denver.
What to know about avalanches
Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.
Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.
In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.
At least eight people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of Tuesday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.
“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”
If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.
“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
