Quick-thinking snowboarder escapes avalanche by clinging onto a rock face as torrent of snow roars past
- Daredevil senses the fast-moving snow coming and gets out of the way in Utah
- He tightly clings onto a rock and within seconds the barrage of snow pours in
- With snow rapidly moving past him, he waits until it’s safe before continuing on
This is the breathtaking moment a snowboarder avoids being swept away by an avalanche by clinging onto a rock face.
The daredevil senses the barrage of snow coming as he glides down the narrow gully in a Utah mountain and quickly maneuvers out of the way.
In the clip taken last month, the snowboarder stops on the slope examining the dangerous conditions ahead of him.
This is the breathtaking moment a snowboarder narrowly escapes an avalanche by clinging onto a rock face in Utah
He slowly moves forward a few feet, looking around to see where to shelter.
While leaning backwards, with his hand pressed into the snow as a guide, he moves towards a large rock jutting out of the snow-covered ground.
He moves along the rock until he finds a suitable section to cling onto.
He firmly holds on and within seconds, the avalanche sends snow pouring down the slope around him.
With snow as soaring past him he holds on and waits for the worst to pass before continuing down the slope
He moves along the rock until he finds a suitable section to cling onto before the snow rolls in
With snow soaring past, he clings on and waits for the worst to pass.
The unnamed snowboarder who shared the clip said: ‘I was snowboarding down this couloir in the Utah backcountry.
‘I had suspicions that the slope might give way, so I approached it on high alert.
‘I saw the slope fracture 200 feet in front of me and was able to grab a hold of the rocks to keep myself in place.’
Avalanches can be caused by numerous factors, including a sudden influx of new snow.
Rain can also cause built-up snow to become loose and cascade down the mountain.
Utah is on high-alert after 13 avalanches triggered by people in the last four days alone.
While leaning backwards he moves towards a large rock jutting out of the snow-covered ground
Last month, a California teenager survived nearly 30 hours alone in the Utah mountains by building a snow cave for shelter and keeping himself awake with phone alarms.
Nicolas Stacy-Alcantara recounted the frightening ordeal after he was rescued and treated for frostbite on his feet.
The 17-year-old from Fresno was visiting Utah to see an ex-girlfriend and decided to go for a day-long hike in relatively mild weather on January 2.