Early snowfall throughout New England has led many to venture into the backcountry. This includes the Mt. Washington Valley, which is home to many risks that need to be factored in by backcountry skiers and riders.
On Saturday, December 9th, Dominic Torro and his friend were skiing down Airplane Gully, a popular backcountry line off Mt. Washington. At around 11:35 a.m., Dominic triggered an avalanche, dragging him down the slope and severely injuring his lower leg. His uninjured friend, who was joined by an unrelated bystander, called 911 for assistance.
On Tuesday, Dominic shared a video of the avalanche, which you can watch below.
After they called 911, their message was relayed to the US Forest Service snow rangers, who then contacted New Hampshire Fish & Game. From there, NH Fish & Game contacted the National Guard Helicopter, and the Mt. Washington Auto Road to use their SnoCat and carry Mountain Rescue Service personnel to assist with the rescue in case the helicopter couldn’t rescue Dominic.
While they waited, the skiers shoveled out an area that allowed a paramedic and litter to be lowered down from the helicopter to rescue him. The operation to rescue him took four hours. The SnoCat and Mountain Rescue Service personnel ultimately weren’t used in the rescue. The skier was transported to the hospital and is recovering from his injuries.
Today, New Hampshire Fish & Game released the following statement:
Ultimately, there are two important lessons from this story. For one, getting caught in an avalanche can happen to anyone, even those who plan and prepare for it. Secondly, while the MWA Center isn’t using its daily 5-scale avalanche hazard rating yet, that doesn’t mean there’s no risk of avalanches.
For more information about the avalanche, a video report from WMUR is below.
Image/Video Credits: MWA Center, Dominic Torro, NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief, WMUR
