Skier, snowboarder survive Idaho avalanche burial, officials say

A skier and snowboarder are lucky to be alive after getting carried up to 150 yards and buried by an avalanche on Bald Mountain in Sun Valley, according to a press release from the Sawtooth Avalanche Center.

The pair were skiing on out-of-bounds terrain near the ski area Sunday when the avalanche occurred.

The skier was completely buried but with effort was able to dig himself out in about 25 minutes. The snowboarder was partially buried, his head and torso were in the snow, but he was also able to free himself.

Neither were seriously injured.

“This was an extremely close call. These individuals are fortunate they were not seriously injured or killed,” the release said. “The terrain in this area is heavily treed, so most people caught in avalanches here sustain significant trauma. Picture riding a bike downhill at 30 miles per hour and jumping off into a forest – it usually doesn’t end well.”

The avalanche, estimated at 150 feet wide, occurred on the northwest side of the mountain at about 8,000 feet. The skiers were in the Warm Springs Creek drainage when they triggered it.

The Sawtooth Avalanche Center warns that conditions outside of the controlled ski area, even just a few feet, can be very dangerous. Avalanches continue to be likely as the ground adjusts to new January snow.

For forecasts and other information, visit www.sawtoothavalanche.com.

This story was originally published January 21, 2019 at 6:51 PM.