Learning to Survive an Avalanche in the Backcountry
The backcountry is drawing more skiers than ever — and avalanche-safety skills are crucial

By Michael Kodas
New York Times


It was a skier's fantasy: 4 feet of powdery, fresh snow draped across the backcountry of Red Mountain Pass in Colorado. But the dream quickly turned nightmarish when, just a few feet from my skis, the slope tore open and a gash ripped across the mountain like a zipper. I fell into a shallow crevice and watched as a slab of snow broke into chunks that tumbled down like giant cinderblocks.....


The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.