Argentinian Olympic snowboarder Matías Schmitt got into a spicy situation while riding the legendary slopes of Las Leñas when he triggered an avalanche not far from the base of the mountain. Luckily he was able to stay on his feet and make it to a safety zone. Great reminder to anyone traveling to South America to be weary of avalanche dangers and to pack your avy gear if you it. Have fun, be safe. Salud!
If you are looking to get into backcountry skiing or snowboarding, you should start with an avalanche safety course. We highly recommend the resources available at Know Before You Go (KBYG):
Know Before You Go is the first step in your journey through avalanche education. The program introduces you to avalanche safety with some simple steps you can take to stay safe and have fun in avalanche terrain. Before you go into the mountains in winter.