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This is the terrifying moment a snowboarder ‘swam’ through an avalanche to stop himself being buried alive.
Blake Nielson was going down Big Cottonwood Canyon near Salt Lake City in Utah on Sunday when the ground beneath him suddenly fell away.
Shocking footage from Blake’s helmet shows him frantically trying to stay on the surface of the snow by lying flat on his back.
He could be heard yelling: ‘Logan, I’m sliding, Logan, I’m sliding!’
Thankfully, he managed to stay on top of the moving snow for about 300 feet, MailOnline reports.
The avalanche continued down the mountain for around 1,300 feet before it eventually came to a stop.
Blake believes it was started by a gust of wind which broke away a large slab of snow he was cruising over.
In his avalanche report, Nielson wrote: ‘I was able to keep the majority of my body above the snow and was able to radio my partner that I was sliding with debris.
Snowboarder Blake Nielson got on his back and ‘swam’ along with the avalanche (Picture: Youtube/Blake Nielson)
Blake continued sliding with the falling snow for about 300 feet (Picture: Youtube / Blake Nielson)
Blake believes the avalanche was caused by a gust of wind which broke away a large slab of snow (Picture: Youtube / Blake Nielson)
‘An isolated wind slab broke loose below and above me which knocked me off my feet and took me for a ride.’
Blake said he and his partner thought the snow was stable before they hit the slopes, but they were wary of incoming winds.
He warned: ‘Respect the wind. Even a small “manageable” wind pocket can break and carry you a long way in steep terrain with long runouts.’
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According to the New York Post, another pair of skiers at a separate location near Salt Lake City were also swept away in the avalanche.
Thankfully, neither of these athletes were hurt.
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Shocking footage from the snowboarder’s helmet shows him frantically trying to stay on the surface of the snow.
