Wednesday, March 2, 2011

 BURIED ALIVE!
I had this incredible experience.
I was purposely buried alive.  It's a long, short story!   Dad is on the ski patrol at Alta and he knows people:)  (Does that sound like we are special?)  People with avalanche dogs that are in training.  There was a planned search for the day and Jack (another ski patrolman, who happens to be Ali's Dad, and Ali happens to be someone I grew up skiing with, and she happened to be in Salt Lake, so we went skiing).  Well Jack volunteered Ali and I to be buried alive.
There were two snow caves dug, about 150 yards apart,
about 4 feet under the snow.
My cave was large enough that I had two feet to spare in length
 and a foot plus around me.
We climbed into the hole, and the patrolman covered the opening with snow.
I did really well, no panic attacks, no scary thoughts.  But I didn't have snow on my face or pressing on me.  That would have changed this experience substantially.  I was surprised how I could hear a skier, the dog running around and people talking.  I was told that when in the hole, you can hear whats on top of the snow.  But if I had tried to yell or whistle.  I would not be heard.  They say I was only in the hole about 20 minutes before Mika started to dig me out.  Yep, in a real avalanche, I would probably be dead.  Gives you something to think about.  Wear Beacons!

Shauna and Ali

Jack, Ali, Mom, Dad, Tina and Shauna
Challenger, here we come!
This was such a fun day!
Ali, call me anytime you can come to town and ski!

No comments: