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A snowboarder in Wyoming was swept away by a massive avalanche, traveling 1,500 feet and suffering severe injuries.
To give some context, the skier, a 29-year-old woman from the area, covered a distance comparable to the height of New York’s Central Park Tower, which is the second-tallest building in the United States.
On Sunday afternoon, an avalanche occurred on Prospectors Mountain in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
According to a joint press release from Teton County Search and Rescue and the Grand Teton National Park, a woman skier and four men were located near the peak of Banana Couloir at approximately 10,800 feet.
The team successfully caused an avalanche, resulting in them becoming trapped in a massive snowfall.
Three individuals were able to stop their own descent, while a fourth was transported a distance of 500 feet, and the woman descended approximately 1,500 feet.
Both skiers were partially buried, but the woman was seriously injured.
The rangers of Grand Teton National Park called upon Teton County Search and Rescue for helicopter support in response to a report of a skier who was injured.
According to the statement, a helicopter carrying three rescue volunteers and a pilot performed a short-haul rescue of an injured skier. This method involves connecting the patient and rescuer to the underside of the helicopter with a secure rope for a brief flight. The team was able to successfully complete the rescue.
She was transported by air to an ambulance, while the remaining members of the group skied back on their own.
Authorities advised that individuals traveling in the wilderness should check the daily report on potential avalanches due to ongoing snowfall in the Tetons.
A backcountry skier was killed in a Wyoming avalanche last month. The skier unintentionally set off a 50ft-wide avalanche and was trapped under the snow for 15 minutes until their companion located them.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the skier, who showed indications of a leg injury, did not have a pulse and is believed to have passed away from trauma.
The Teton SAR team issued a warning stating that due to the unusual conditions this year, individuals should exercise extra caution when making decisions in the backcountry. This warning came after they received numerous reports of avalanches in the first two weeks of the year.
Source: independent.co.uk
