Watch CBS News

Video: Snowboarder Narrowly Escapes Avalanche In Utah On Christmas

(CBS4) -- Video shows a snowboarder narrowly escaping an avalanche in Utah on Christmas morning.

#Repost @iskideeppow · · · Almost witnessed this man get caught and buried in this storm slab #avalanche today on the Park City Ridgeline. Felt helpless just watching this happen in almost the exact same spot of the fatal avalanche last week. I waited to speak to this snowboarder, to let him know what just occurred. He like so many that leave the backcountry gates didn't have any avalanche equipment or even a beacon. I explained to him just how lucky he was, he told me he has been skiing here for 20 years and just didn't think it was steep enough to side, which I thought was just absurd! People #knowbeforeyougo @utavy @skiutah . I am relieved this man didn't get seriously hurt or killed on this Christmas morning and he gets to return home to his family ... @wasatchsnowforecast @powderchasers @powderbuoy

Posted by Utah Avalanche Center on Wednesday, December 25, 2019

"HEADS UP!" a man can be heard yelling in the video, captured by Matt Baydala. "HEADS UP!"

"Almost witnessed this man get caught and buried in this storm slab #avalanche today on the Park City Ridgeline," Baydala wrote on Facebook. "Felt helpless just watching this happen in almost the exact same spot of the fatal avalanche last week."

"I waited to speak to this snowboarder, to let him know what just occurred. He like so many that leave the backcountry gates didn't have any avalanche equipment or even a beacon," Baydala continued. "I explained to him just how lucky he was, he told me he has been skiing here for 20 years and just didn't think it was steep enough to [slide], which I thought was just absurd!

"I am relieved this man didn't get seriously hurt or killed on this Christmas morning and he gets to return home to his family," Baydala added.

According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the soft-slab slide was unintentionally triggered by the snowboarder and was 12-inches deep, 200-feet wide, and traveled 600 vertical feet.

The UAC reported that a snowboarder died after being caught and buried in an avalanche in the same area 10 days earlier, after going out-of-bounds via the backcountry exit gate at the top of the lift to access Dutch Draw.

Dutch Draw Avalanche Fatality (12/15/2019) by utahavalanchecenter on YouTube

"A 45-year-old male snowboarder, Matt Tauszik, was killed in an avalanche in Dutch Draw off of Silver Peak on a slope called Conehead. He was alone and did not carry any avalanche rescue gear," the UAC reported.

Tauszik had been skiing with his wife and son before splitting up and heading out of bounds.

avalanche danger
(credit: Utah Avalanche Center)

Officials said Tauszik was buried a "maximum of three feet deep." Members of the public dug him out and performed CPR but officials estimate he had been buried for more than 30 minutes.

 

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.