Backcountry Skier Survives Avalanche He Triggered on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass

Backcountry skiing can be a fun, high-adrenaline activity, but it can also be highly dangerous. This was made evident recently as a man who was skiing on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass not only triggered an avalanche while doing so, but miraculously survived the ordeal.

Man Survives Avalanche on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass

On Sunday, January 18, between 2 and 3 p.m., a man who has yet to be identified publicly was backcountry skiing on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass, an area high in the Colorado Rockies along the Continental Divide. The man and an unnamed companion were skiing on a run known as “Postage Stamp” when he is said to have triggered an avalanche.

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Once the avalanche was triggered, the man was carried by the rushing snow an estimated 200 yards down the mountain, and once the avalanche stopped at the base of the peak, he found himself buried up to his waist in snow.

Numerous people witnessed the avalanche and the man being swept up by it and notified authorities. Luckily, the man was able to free himself before search and rescue even arrived on the scene.

The man has spoken to news outlets about the ordeal, stating that he was fully aware that the area was prone to avalanches and that the particular section of the mountain that he chose to ski was especially dangerous, but he chose to ski that section of Berthoud Pass anyway.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has reported that the parts of Berthoud Pass that are most prone to avalanches are sections of the mountain that face east, south, and southeast, which is where the avalanche was triggered.

Not only did the man survive the avalanche that he triggered, but he also walked away uninjured.

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Check out the full story from Fox31 here.