'Incredible.' Skier walks away after being tossed off cliff by avalanche

A skier in Colorado is lucky to be alive after being swept away by an avalanche on Sunday, Feb. 13 near Loveland Pass, Colorado, in the mountains west of Denver.

Two people, a mother and son, were skiing along the west-facing side of Loveland Pass early on Sunday to retrieve rappel gear that they left behind during an outing on the snowy mountainside earlier in the weekend, CBS4 in Denver reported. It is unclear what triggered the avalanche, but once it started, it raced down the mountainside, carrying the son hundreds of feet downhill, including over a 50-foot cliff.

Fortunately, the mother was not caught up in the avalanche and was able to make it to her son in 10 minutes, digging him out of waist-deep snow, according to the Summit County Rescue Group (SCRC).

The identities of the skiers have not been released, but the man who was buried in snow was able to escape from the life-threatening event with just minor injuries.

"It is incredible that the skier caught was able to walk away from this accident," the SCRS said. "It should also be noted that while both skiers were experienced, knowledgeable and well equipped, equipment will not help you if you are in a terrain trap such as this one."

There was a moderate risk of avalanches in the area on Sunday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC).

"The person involved is pretty shook up, it's definitely a traumatic experience," the Colorado Avalanche Information Center Director Ethan Greene told CBS4 in an interview.

As of Monday, Feb. 14, there have been nine avalanche-related fatalities across the United States, according to the CAIC including three in Colorado.

Around 25 to 30 people die in avalanches every year across the U.S., many of whom are skiing, snowboarding or snowmobiling on steep terrain.

The SCRC urges everyone who plans on trekking out into the backcountry to check the avalanche forecast beforehand and to follow safe practices.

"Although avalanche danger has been relatively low lately, there is still danger and it’s important not to get complacent," the organization said.

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