Jonathan Mendelsohn
In a shocking video hailing from Utah, some skiers encounter a huge avalanche that is as horrifying as it is captivating. The TikTok, posted by foxweather, showcases the skiers standing on a snowy mountain, watching as a “powder cloud” from an avalanche comes barreling toward them.
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While watching the avalanche come towards them, one of the skiers exclaims “What the heck, bro. That’s one of the biggest avalanches I have ever seen in real life.” The skier continues, saying “It’s gonna pummel us! … Here it comes, bro.”
Monster Avalanche on a Rampage
The avalanche in question occurred in the Provo mountains. The Utah Avalanche Center originally shared the video to various social media platforms on March 27. According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the avalanche’s “dust cloud carried for hundreds of yards,” even though the actual avalanche debris stopped long before.
In the video, the group of skiers stands staring at the approaching avalanche as one can be heard saying, “Dude, I hope nobody’s down on boot hill.” As the video ends, the skiers are completely engulfed by the avalanche cloud. Thankfully, no one in the video was reported to be injured.
Avalanches are most prevalent in the US between the months of December and April. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, 22 avalanche-related deaths were reported this season as of March 28. Also in Utah, a snowmobiler was killed after being caught in an avalanche while in Pole Canyon.
National avalanche specialist Simon Trautman spoke about what happens if one finds themselves caught in an avalanche. Trautman said “Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important. A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.” In the matter of surviving an avalanche, other officials added, “Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact. You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
