A gripping rescue operation of an avalanche victim in Colorado has been caught on film. The person, who suffered only minor injuries, was trapped under the snow at Vail Pass for over an hour following the avalanche on a Monday afternoon, as reported by the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
Bodycam footage reveals a deputy declaring, "Approximately two feet down, two feet under the snow, we’ve just uncovered him. He is breathing, conscious and is speaking to us." The video shows first responders shoveling through mounds of snow to reach the victim, who managed to stay close to the surface thanks to an avalanche airbag backpack.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office expressed gratitude for the fortunate outcome and praise for the combined efforts of their deputies and the Summit County Rescue Group. Their commitment and proficiency made the rescue feasible. Lt. Mike Schilling described the rescue as "extremely amazing", noting that it's rare to find someone alive after being buried for an hour and five minutes.
In a separate incident on the same day, two backcountry skiers tragically lost their lives after being caught in an avalanche in the Happy Valley area of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. The victims, Susan Skjersaa, 52, and Terance Skjersaa, 57, belonged to a family that launched Bend's inaugural ski shop.
In another rescue operation this week, an 8-year-old snowboarder was saved after a chairlift incident at Killington Ski Resort in Vermont. Reports indicate that the child was not fully seated when the chair left the loading area and subsequently fell into a rescue net.