The whole slope cracks — and you’re under. Here’s exactly what to do in the minutes that decide whether you live. 🏔️
The survival steps:
• STEP 1 — Ditch your gear. Poles and a pack are dead weight once you’re in the flow.
• STEP 2 — Swim. Roll like you’re in a river and fight to stay on top — big pieces rise in moving snow.
• STEP 3 — As it slows, punch your hands in front of your face. That air pocket keeps you breathing.
Then the clock: 92% of victims found within 15 minutes survive. After 35 minutes, barely a third. When the snow stops it sets like concrete — you can’t dig out, so your group must dig: beacon, probe, shovel. Don’t wait for the helicopter.
And the best move is the one you make before you go: check the forecast, avoid slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and watch for shooting cracks.
Stay safe out there. ⛰️
Sources: Ready.gov (FEMA) avalanche guidance; Swiss survival study of 422 buried skiers (via Avalanche rescue).
#Shorts #Avalanche #SurvivalTips #WinterSafety #SnowSafety #WhatIf #Survival #Backcountry
