Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

California Snowboarder Describes Being Hit by 'Tsunami' of Snow During Avalanche Scare

California Snowboarder Describes Being Hit by 'Tsunami' of Snow During Avalanche Scare
Wochit News/YouTube

Evan and Kahlynn Huck experienced every snowboarder's worst nightmare and came out on the other side alive. The San Francisco natives were carving the slopes at Squaw Valley Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe, California when they heard a shout behind them. The Hucks looked back just in time to see themselves overtaken by an 8-foot wall of snow. Before they could react, the couple was completely buried. If he weren't so lucky, that might have been the end... fortunately, however, someone managed to spot Evan's snowboard peeking out of the snow and nearby skiers were able to dig him out!


​At first, Evan was conscious beneath the avalanche. In his words:

I was conscious for about 45 seconds while I was under the snow at first, then I kind of ran out of oxygen and passed out.

Forunately, Kahlynn was able to dig her way out. But her ordeal was far from over:

I was inconsolable, I was hysterical. I was wondering if that was it and my husband was gone

Evan and Kahlynn both feel incredibly lucky, and told local news crews they have a "new lease on life."

Skier Joe Breault was among the skiers that helped dig Evan out of the snow before he died of suffocation. He described the moment Evan regained consciousness:

...he opened his eyes and looked right at me and said, 'Where's my wife?'

Huck and others nearby estimate he was under the snow for 5-6 minutes.

The average human can go around 5-10 minutes without suffering any major harm (aside from possibly passing out). Another few minutes, however, and Evan may have suffered permanent brain damage. Another few minutes after that, and he might have died. It's a good thing there were many sharp-eyed heroes on hand to quickly track him down.

Twitter was incredibly relieved everyone made if off the mountain ok!

The avalanche was a result of a blizzard which pummeled the Sierra Nevada Mountain range with winds of up to 150 miles per hour for several days. Though it seemed the worst of the storm had passed, it had left behind 7 feet of newly fallen, unstable snow - a natural disaster waiting to happen.

Two others were buried in the same avalanche as the Hucks and taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

Sadly, two other snowboarders in the area were killed this weekend by the blizzard weather conditions. On Friday, March 2, the body of Wenyu Zhang, 42, was recovered on the slopes of Squaw Valley, having "died during the severe weather." At China Peak Ski Resort, Blake Smith, 36, fell headfirst into deep snow (a result of the increased precipitation), and suffocated before he could be helped out.

The nearby Mammoth Ski Resort also suffered an avalanche on the morning of March 3. Fortunately, only 3 were partially buried, and all managed to dig themselves out of the snow. With a little less luck, however, many of these experiences could have turned out a lot worse. After a large snowfall, especially one created by a blizzard, perhaps staying off the slopes for several days is the best course of action. Better to lose a ski trip than your life!

More from News

Bernadette Peters; Cole Escola
Rob Kim/Getty Images; TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic

Bernadette Peters Offers Hilarious Reaction To Cole Escola's Tribute To Her Iconic Gown At The Tony Awards

Awards shows always have two competitions: the actual awards, and the red carpet outside.

Cole Escola, star and playwright of the hit show Oh, Mary!, did both at the Tony Awards this year. Escola, who won the Best Leading Actor in a Play for their performance, first showed up prior to the event to show off their intricate and stunning look, an homage to actor Bernadette Peters' iconic look from the 1999 Tony Awards.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pam Bondi
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

AG Pam Bondi's Brother Blames 'Rabid Partisans' After Getting Absolutely Walloped In DC Election

MAGA Republican President Donald Trump has often bragged about his overwhelming victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, claiming he won by a landslide. But while he did manage to finally win a popular vote in 2024, something he lost in 2016 and 2020, it was hardly a landslide.

About 90 million eligible, registered voters didn't bother to vote at all in 2024, while Trump garnered only ~77 million votes, VP Harris received about ~75 million—a difference of only ~2 million which is less than the population of Trump's hometown of Queens, New York City.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kristi Noem
Alex Brandon - Pool/Getty Images

Kristi Noem's Past Views On National Guard Come Back To Bite Her After She Backs Trump Amid LA Protests

California Governor Gavin Newsom called out the hypocrisy of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after sharing a clip from last year showing she'd once criticized the Biden administration for considering deploying the National Guard when Democrats suggested it as a response to Texas' immigration crackdown at the time.

That's noteworthy because Noem has made an about-face, defending President Donald Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests in response to his administration's immigration raids by claiming he'd taken this drastic step "for the safety of this community ... to keep peace."

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Jim Jordan
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Perfectly Calls Out Jim Jordan's Hypocrisy After Jordan Rants About What We Do 'In America'

After Ohio Representative Jim Jordan criticized Los Angeles protesters who've held Mexican flags in a symbolic move against President Donald Trump's immigration policies, California Governor Gavin Newsom called out his hypocrisy by sharing images of the January 6 insurrection.

Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Account, used the body's official X account to admonish "Democrat-run Los Angeles" by sharing a Fox News video of a protester who waved a Mexican flag as he circled a burning car on his motorcycle.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Break Down Seemingly 'Harmless' Symptoms That Require A Trip To The ER

Always pay attention to your body.

Every bump and sore can mean something.

Keep ReadingShow less