Professional skier, filmmaker, and action sports enthusiast Josh Daiek broke down what went wrong and what went right when a backcountry line quickly became a fight against nature as the face broke ahead of him creating an avalanche for him to outrun.
“Skiing in avalanche terrain takes years of experience, constant learning, and honest self-assessment, and even then, mistakes and close calls will happen. The only way to eliminate all risk is to stay out of the backcountry entirely, and since that’s not reasonable, I focus on being present and aware of all surroundings, moving deliberately, always knowing safe zones and having exit strategies before dropping into lines.” – Josh Daiek
Outrunning an avalanche isn’t usually feasible, so it’s vital that skiers and snowboarders who want to head into the backcountry do so with a proper understanding of the risks, the proper education (AAIRE Avalanche Training), and the proper equipment (beacon, shovel, probe). You don’t want to end up in a situation where you need to use quick thinking like Josh does in this clip.
