not to call the skier a knucklehead or anything like that, but he should have been able to see the instability on the slope from the amount and shape of the snow load and a simple dig might have revealed layers of snow prone to sliding. i'm definitely not an expert on this subject, but it looked unstable. be careful out there skiers.

That's some scary stuff, especially because it's shot from a helmet cam. It gives an idea of what its like to get caught in an avalanche (without the suffocation, and possible injuries). I don't know if you'll check back here, jnyblaze, but could you explain what you see in the video that gives you the idea that this area would be prone to avalanche? Of course, the skier and his crew should have done a dig (did they?), but without the test, why do you suspect that the snow is unstable?

@jnyblaze As a former avalanche industry professional and avalanche rescue dog owner/trainer here in BC, Canada, you are correct that there are ways to determine snow instability by digging pits and understanding terrain, current and past weather etc etc. But even the most experienced, trained skiers can be caught out. He was fortunate that he did not die from trauma on the way down and it seems from the rescue response time that his ski partners were trained in beacon searches. Lucky for him. That video is a rare first hand account of the real dangers that can lie beneath our skis on uncontrolled (out of ski areas) mountains. I think this should be used for all future training courses. In Canada we have Avi Awareness days coming up Jan 9th and 10th, 2010. I highly recommend anyone who is pursuing freshies in the backcountry to visit your local hill and take part in the FREE clinics and demos that we provide. Or take a avalanche course with a local provider. It could save your life or your buddies. In the USA, visit http://www.avalanche.org/ for info on courses in your area. Here's to a safe and sweet season of ripping up the pow! Thanks Powder Feed for posting this.

I agree, Sean K. Snow science is not mysterious. We understand exactly why and how avalanches occur. My understanding is it's a game of probabilities: the more unstable the snowpack, the more likely you are to trigger a slide. That said, even in stable conditions, it's possible. The wild card in the game is humans and the decisions they make, like what terrain to ski, how to ski it, etc. Here's to safe powder turns!

i'll qualify my remarks as a definite amateur, but it looked like a slidepath to begin with and a few turns down it looked like a swale or crown had built up above where the slope dropped at a steeper angle, and that a couple turns there might have added the last bit of compression to let it loose. i guessed that maybe in the early season, the slope had not been skied much so there would possibly be some different layer densities from various snowfalls and temps. since i'm using alot of possiblys' and maybes' and guesses, and looks likes, i admit i don't know much about a fascinating subject.