The start of a new winter sport?
February 21, 2005
Man Rides Avalanche to Safety in Utah
2 minutes ago U.S. National - AP
MONA, Utah - A hiker fell about 1,000 feet down a mountain side, riding an avalanche feet-first - and suffered only minor injuries. Extremely lucky," said Juab County Sheriff Alden Orme.
Mark Thomas and two companions were hiking on a ridge near Mount Nebo on Saturday when snow gave way beneath them, they told police.
His friends did not fall, but Thomas slid about 1,000 feet, triggering an avalanche, Orme said.
Thomas, 21, of Salt Lake City, told police that he rode the cascading snow feet-first, and came to a stop partially buried in a canyon.
His friends went for help, but while they were gone Thomas dug himself out of the snow. He set out walking out of the canyon and met rescuers on their way up the mountain.
Thomas had a minor back injury and frostbitten feet, police said.
(unbelievably lucky!)
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His friends went for help, but while they were gone Thomas dug himself out of the snow. He set out walking out of the canyon and met rescuers on their way up the mountain.
NAW, this doesn't have the makings of a new sport. If he had CHEWED THROUGH HIS OWN WAIST TO LIVE, and then pulled himself out to safety-- kind of like that hiker a couple years ago-- then this would be one seriously cool dude. Right now he only gets two stars out of five. 
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His friends went for help, but while they were gone Thomas dug himself out of the snow.
Bunch of morons. For a variety of reasons. Why celebrate stupidity and dumb luck?
Jumping to conclusions I think -- but just trying the liven the place up a bit...
'spose I should have posted about the pink thong I found at T-line last weekend...
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Jumping to conclusions I think
Not really. Would you want all your friends to leave you partially buried in the wilderness while they went for help? Often the cause of injuries/death due to avalanches is the continued movement of the snow which crushes the person. This group didn't have a clue and shouldn't have been out there in the first place.
If they were out there searching for their lost pink thongs, then I guess it's a human interest story.
Hmm, I didn't think of that -- perhaps that's what they were after! I like it even more now ...
At the top is a large cornice of snow with a slip fault waiting to happen, way down below fluttering in the breeze is a pink thong...
Your choice of equipement to go down....
