Snowboarder relives the terrifying moment who was buried in an avalanche in ski fields

‘A thunderous boom – then I was pulled into complete darkness’: Snowboarder relives the terrifying moment he was buried in an avalanche in ski fields near Thredbo

  •  A man escaped death earlier this month when he was caught in an avalanche
  •  Wife watched from the base of the mountain as it collapsed on her husband
  •  The pair had eerily just completed an avalanche training course days prior

A snowboarder has relived the terrifying moment he was buried alive in a class three avalanche – days after completing training on how to survive a snowslide. 

The man, who did not share his name, was snowshoe climbing up Mount Etheridge Ridge, in the NSW snowfields, in early August when disaster struck.  

After assessing the safest route, he ascended half way up the mountain when the ground abruptly tore from beneath him, he revealed in a blog published by Alpine Access Australia. 

The man was snowshoe climbing up Mount Etheridge Ridge (pictured), in the NSW snowfields, in early August for one final snow run when disaster struck

‘All of a sudden [there was] a thunderous boom and the ENTIRE face top to bottom about 150m wide began to slide,’ he wrote.

‘It happened in a split second.’

‘I tried to run to who knows where, but [I] was immediately pulled completely under into darkness and immense pressure.’   

His wife, who was 300 metres away at the mountain’s base, watched in horror as the snow covered the area where her husband had last been seen.  

Pictured: Mount Etheridge where the man tumbled several times and came to terms with what he believed was his impending death

Pictured: Mount Etheridge where the man tumbled several times and came to terms with what he believed was his impending death

The man tumbled several times and came to terms with what he believed was his impending death.

‘As the motion began to slow the weight of the snow began to bear down and there was an eerie silence and with one last tumble I saw the light,’ he wrote. 

‘I came to rest completely buried in an upright standing position with just my head and 1 arm above the surface.

Pictured: Mount Etheridge Ridge the day after the avalanche. The snowboarder's wife was 300 metres away at the mountain's base when the snow cascaded in a frenzy where her husband had last been seen

Pictured: Mount Etheridge Ridge the day after the avalanche. The snowboarder’s wife was 300 metres away at the mountain’s base when the snow cascaded in a frenzy where her husband had last been seen

‘The sudden silence and stillness was deafening.’   

Using one arm still free, he was able to retrieve his shovel from his nearby bag and dig himself out. 

The pair, who had just completed an avalanche training course, were rescued by Thredbo medical.

‘I can’t even imagine what she has gone through,’ her husband said.

‘Witnessing the whole thing and having to put into action what we had only just learnt days prior.’

Pictured: Photos taken of the site the day following the avalanche by Avalanche skills training company, Alpine Access Australia

Pictured: Photos taken of the site the day following the avalanche by Avalanche skills training company, Alpine Access Australia

The man added: ‘[I’m] currently sitting at home sipping a scotch with my ankle in a moon boot, season over….. But ALIVE’. 

Avalanche’s are classified on a scale from one to five.

Level three is ranked as a ‘considerable’ threat, capable of burying a car, destroy a small building, or breaking trees.  

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk