In what many people are dubbing a Christmas miracle, a lucky skier in Austria survived an incredibly long bout under the snow this week. More avalanches across Austria and Switzerland have skiers and snowboarders on edge, especially after one happened in-bounds at a famous Swiss ski resort.
The 26-year-old skier was reported missing in the late afternoon by a friend who had called his mobile phone and only heard crackling noises. The skier was not found for another two hours. He was wearing an avalanche transceiver that eventually led rescuers to find him on Mt Pleschnitzzinken, buried beneath a metre of snow. The Gröbming mountain rescue, working with local police, managed to dig him out. The man suffered from no injuries except hypothermia. Rescuers say it is extremely rare for someone to survive that long. Once the snow sets after an avalanche, it takes on a consistency similar to concrete, making it virtually impossible to move. Chances of survival dwindle considerably after the first 15 minutes. In this case, the victim was lucky to have an air pocket so he could keep breathing. He was carried to a hospital in Schladming for recovery.
It's been a bad week for avalanches, with the Austrian ski resort of Ankogel suffering not one but three avalanches this week. Meanwhile, an in-bounds avalanche at Andermatt, Switzerland buried a total of six winter sporters, all of whom survived. Rescue crew combed the slope for hours afterward to ensure no one else was buried under the snow. In St. Moritz, a snowboarder was badly hurt after being caught in an avalanche while riding off-piste.
And the day before Christmas, two teenage boys managed to extricate themselves from the snow after being caught in yet another avalanche in the Austrian ski resort of Hochpustertal-Thurntaler. An 11-year-old, 13-year-old and 14-year-old had briefly gone off-piste when they were caught in an avalanche which buried the two oldest skiers in snow. The 13-year-old managed to escape, but the 14-year-old was completely buried except for a hand waving above the snow. The 11-year-old friend managed to free the boy's head, and freed the rest of his body with help from a lift operator. The teens were able to ski back down to the valley relatively unscathed.
The avalanche risk in many places this week was listed at 3/5, which many people interpret as medium. However, an avalanche risk of 3/5 actually means there is a significant risk of avalanches in slopes that are prone to avalanches, namely unsecured terrain of a certain gradient. We strongly advise against venturing off-piste in such conditions, and if you do so, please make sure you are well-equipped and properly trained on avalanche survival skills, including everything from analysing the snow pack to using an avalanche transceiver. Most of the skiers who survived avalanches this week did so because they took steps to protect themselves. For more advice on staying safe during avalanche season, click here.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
