When it comes to rescuing people buried in an avalanche, time is of the essence. The vast majority of victims don’t survive more than 2 hours.
So, it’s near-miraculous that Washington skier Michael Harris survived 4 hours after an avalanche hit him while cruising in-bounds on the Big Chief Bowl of the Stevens Pass Ski Resort on Feb. 26. Ski patrollers only became aware of his situation when Harris’s wife used Find My iPhone to locate him, and noticed that his position hadn’t changed for 3 hours.
He was skiing alone, in-bounds, in an avalanche-controlled area.
Harris’s wife gave the location to the resort’s rescuers, who were able to reach him after he was buried for 4 hours in the snow, according to local news reports and a statement from the family. Though fully buried, Harris was able to survive so long because he’d taken some avalanche training, he told KIRO 7 News. He was able to create “a beach ball-sized air pocket with one arm,” he told local news, allowing him to stay alive until help finally arrived.
Harris emerged from the experience with a broken leg, fluid in his lungs, and hypothermia, but should recover in a few months.
“I have a second chance,” he told the station. “I thought I had the good life, but I kind of want to live an even better one.”
GearJunkie reached out to the ski resort (owned by Vail Resorts) as well as the Northwest Avalanche Center, but didn’t hear back as of this writing.
Family Raising Money for Hospital Bills
Though Harris will likely fully recover from the ordeal, his family is asking for help paying the medical bills. As of Friday afternoon, the GoFundMe campaign has raised $36,549 of a goal of $40,000, thanks to 305 donations.
“I have started a GoFundMe to try and help alleviate some of the medical costs as well additional bills for my family as my dad is the sole provider and we are unsure how long the road to recovery actually looks,” Harris’s daughter Lauren Harris wrote in the GoFundMe. “Literally anything helps.”
She also thanked the first responders who saved her father’s life.
“I also went to give a big huge thank you to Stevens Pass ski patrol, EMS personnel, the nurses, doctors, PAs, RTs and all the hospital staff that have been all hands on deck to help aid my dad to get where he is now and help him on his way to recovery,” she wrote.
Avalanche Safety
Harris was skiing at about 5,300 feet when the avalanche occurred, according to an accident report from the Northwest Avalanche Center. It was likely the result of “a persistent weak layer of snow over a crust,” and led to the avalanche that was 15-20 feet deep.
Most of the time, it’s exceedingly rare for someone buried in an avalanche to survive long without help. After just 10 minutes in the snow, survival rates drop to 30%, usually from asphyxiation. At the 2-hour mark, only about 3-7% of people survive, according to the avalanche center.
That’s why having an avalanche beacon is considered one of several crucial pieces of gear for anyone skiing, especially when exploring a mountain alone or in the backcountry.
Harris’s brush with death comes amid a historically dangerous ski season. Nine people died in an avalanche in Northern California last month. A snowbiker also died in an avalanche in Utah on Feb. 22. According to a report from the Utah Avalanche Center, he had an avalanche beacon, but hadn’t turned it on.
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