Avalanche Survivor Smiles For Photo While Buried Up To His Neck
DENVER (CBS4) - The luckiest of a group of skiers who were caught in a large avalanche at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on Saturday may be a Denver man who was buried up to his neck.
Officials say it was very fortunate nobody was seriously injured or even killed in the slide.
Anthony Robinson created a Facebook page and posted pictures taken just after the avalanche. In one picture Robinson was still buried in the snow. Peeking out through feet of snow, he said it was hard not to smile.
"I do believe that a lot of luck and something from above kind of said, 'Not today,' " Robinsons told CBS4's Valerie Castro.
Robinson said he decided venturing out with the small group would be his last run of the day. Before heading down the untouched run, he asked the guide about potential danger.
"We were about ready to take off and I remember asking, just being in the military, like a safety thing, I said, 'Well, what if there's an avalanche?' Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but I said, 'What if there's an avalanche?' "
PHOTO GALLERY: More Images Of Robinson's Amazing Avalanche Experience
Just a few minutes in, Robinson said the terrain quickly changed.
"You just heard the ground moan, basically, and all the snow under you started to move," Robinson said. "It didn't take long for it to start moving faster than I could move."
Tumbling down to the bottom, Robinson wound up covered in snow. Nearby skiers found him and began to dig him out. The only piece of equipment he recovered was a ski pole that was found dangerously close to his head.
"The pole appeared to have landed right by my head. I think it was sticking out of the snow right beside me."
Robinson is thankful to be alive and said the scare put his priorities in check.
"I just thought of my wife, my 18-month-old son, and God."
Robinson said he walked away with a few bumps and bruises and was a little sore the next day, but otherwise had no serious injuries.
