Huge avalanche engulfs snowboarder on New Hampshire mountain, dramatic video shows

Two people narrowly survived a dangerous avalanche while they were skiing and snowboarding down a New Hampshire mountain, officials said.

The pair, who have not been identified, set out to ski and snowboard down Tuckerman Ravine, a slope on Mount Washington, on Feb. 25, according to a statement from the Mount Washington Avalanche Center.

While traversing down the steepest portion of the ravine, they set off a “thin wind slab,” causing debris to begin to cascade down the slope.

Right afterward, a hard slab of snow broke off under the skier, setting off the sizable avalanche.

The skier managed to avoid the barrage of snow, but the snowboarder became engulfed in it as it slid onto the ravine floor.

When the snowslide came to a stop, the snowboarder was partially buried waist deep but was uninjured.

The pair’s distressing encounter could have been far worse, the center said, stating that the “avalanche was a large, hard slab and had the destructive potential to bury and kill a person.”

Before setting out, the duo had seen the mountain’s avalanche risk was rated as “considerable” that day, according to the center, which is affiliated with the U.S. Forest Service. t was not clear, though, that they comprehended the level of risk.

A “slight language barrier” made it difficult for officials to understand their thought process, the center said.

Still, both of the individuals had backcountry experience and carried avalanche rescue tools, including shovels and beacons, the center said.

“We hope that this near miss is also a great learning opportunity for other backcountry enthusiasts who travel in this terrain,” the center stated.

In the 2022-2023 season, 13 people died as a result of avalanches across the country, according to avalanche.org, which is affiliated with the U.S. Forest Service National Avalanche Center. The deaths all occurred in the western United States, including in Colorado, Montana and Washington.

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