Colorado avalanche survivor mugs for the camera
DENVER A Denver man narrowly avoided disaster on a recent ski trip when he survived an avalanche at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Colorado, CBS Denver reports.
After escaping an incident that left him buried to the neck in snow, Anthony Robinson posted photographs of the incident to Facebook. In one picture, Robinson, still chin-deep in the white stuff, grins for the camera. He told CBS Denver that it was hard not to smile.
"I do believe that a lot of luck and something from above kind of said, 'Not today,' " Robinson said.
Officials say it was very fortunate nobody was seriously injured or even killed in the snowslide.
The avalanche happened during what Robinson said was supposed to be his last run of the day. Before heading down the untouched trail, he asked his guide about potential dangers.
"We were about ready to take off and I remember asking, just being in the military, like a safety thing, I said, 'Well, what if there's an avalanche?'
Just a few minutes in, Robinson noticed a sudden change in the terrain.
"You just heard the ground moan, basically, and all the snow under you started to move," Robinson said. "It didn't take long for it to start moving faster than I could move."
He tumbled to the bottom where other skiers soon found him and began to dig him out. The only piece of equipment Robinson recovered was a ski pole that was found dangerously close to his head.
"The pole appeared to have landed right by my head. I think it was sticking out of the snow right beside me," Robinson said.
Robinson is thankful to be alive and said the scare put his priorities in check.
"I just thought of my wife, my 18-month-old son, and God."
Robinson said he walked away with a few bumps and bruises and was a little sore the next day, but otherwise had no serious injuries.