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The wind howled as Jason clipped into his skis, his breath forming icy clouds in the thin mountain air. The Wasatch Range had been hit with a fresh two feet of snow overnight, and the backcountry routes were calling. He wasn’t alone—his longtime friend and ski partner, Mike, was tightening his bindings beside him, their radios set to the same channel.
“Let’s hit Ridge Line One,” Mike suggested, pointing to a pristine, untouched chute that cut through the trees. It was steep, technical—exactly the kind of challenge they thrived on.
They skied down cautiously at first, testing the snow pack. But as they gained confidence, their turns became sharper, faster. Adrenaline surged through Jason’s veins as he carved into the slope, feeling weightless with each movement.
Then he heard it—a deep whomp beneath his feet.
“Mike, GO!” Jason yelled, but the warning came too late. The snow cracked like a thunderclap, breaking loose in a roaring wave. The avalanche engulfed him before he could react, knocking him off his feet, dragging him downhill at terrifying speed.
Buried. Silence. Pressure. Jason fought to stay conscious, his body trapped beneath a crushing weight of snow. Panic surged, but years of training took over—stay calm, create an air pocket, don’t waste oxygen.
Mike was already in motion. He ripped his avalanche beacon from his chest, following the signal, digging furiously. Minutes stretched unbearably long, but finally—contact. Jason’s arm appeared first, then his face, gasping for air as Mike pulled him free.
They sat in the snow, shaking, realizing how close they had come
“Man,” Jason exhaled, gripping Mike’s arm. “We were lucky.”
That night, as they sat by a fire, they both knew—this wouldn’t stop them from coming back. But it would change the way they approached the mountain forever.
(Note: According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, avalanches kill around 25-30 people in the U.S. each year, most of them back country skiers. Experts recommend avalanche beacons, airbag packs, and proper training before venturing into dangerous terrain.)
