Skiing and snowboarding ‘off-piste’, as the Europeans love to say, comes with inherent risks.
Many of Europe’s largest resorts offer thousands of acres of open, treeless terrain, but crevasses and other hazards exist.
The snowboarder in the video below found that out the hard way.
Here’s his description of events followed by the video itself:
“Flaine, France. it had been snowing all night, and we woke to bluebird skies and about 500mm of fresh powder on the mountain. Snowboarding Nirvana. The crevasse was only a few hundred yards off piste, and pretty much completely covered, invisible until i was right on it, and I wasn’t quick enough to avoid it.
My son Jack was a hero, tried to free me at first, and did not hesitate to raise the alarm and get help. Three english doctors that we had just passed on the mountain came to my rescue, took care of Jack, and helped dig me out. I am eternally grateful to you.
I hope you enjoyed the rest of your holiday, and the perfect conditions continued.”
What are the odds that he would perfectly fall head first into this crevasse and that his snowboard was just long enough to get caught on either side of the opening? Crazy, right?
The most tense moment of this video, for me, was watching him unstrap from his bindings and getting a glimpse of the crevasse continuing into the void below. How deep do you think it goes?
I’m so happy that this snowboarder was okay, but damn did he get lucky!
Stay safe out there, friends.
