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

Denzel Washington in 'Gladiator II'
Paramount Pictures

Denzel Washington Reveals His Gay Kiss In 'Gladiator II' Got Cut From Film—'They Got Chicken'

Hollywood has made some progress with LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream films like Call Me by Your Name (2017), Moonlight (2016), and Carol (2015) that cater to those audiences.

But when it comes to featuring a gay kiss in commercial blockbusters meant for the general mass audience, studios remain skittish and tend to leave such scenes on the cutting room floor.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Allison Robbert/Pool/Getty Images

Elon Musk Sued For Fraud By Petition Signers Over Million Dollar Vote Buying Scheme

Three proposed class-action lawsuits have been filed against billionaire Elon Musk alleging that his political action committee, America PAC, engaged in fraudulent practices. The lawsuits claim the PAC misled voters by promising a random $1 million cash prize, even though the winners were allegedly predetermined.

Musk established America PAC in October to back President-elect Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign. The PAC reportedly targeted Trump supporters in battleground states, encouraging them to share personal information and sign an online petition advocating for "free speech and the right to bear arms" in exchange for a chance to win the prize.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ben Domenech; Matt Gaetz
Gage Skidmore/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons; Jose Luis Magana/Pool/Getty Images

Conservative Has Brutal Warning For GOP After Trump Picks 'Vile Sex Pest' Gaetz For AG

After President-elect Donald Trump chose Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz for his Attorney General, conservative commentator Ben Domenech—the co-founder of The Federalist and editor-at-large of The Spectator World—did not hold back with a warning to anyone who votes to confirm him.

Domenech highlighted that Gaetz was previously the subject of a Justice Department investigation into alleged sex trafficking involving a 17-year-old girl and has faced scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee over accusations of sexual misconduct. However, that inquiry effectively concluded on Wednesday when Gaetz announced his resignation from Congress.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk; Donald Trump
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Allison Robbert/Pool/Getty Images

Elon Musk Mocked After Trump Reportedly Joked To Republicans That He 'Can't Get Rid Of Him'

Billionaire Elon Musk was swiftly mocked after President-elect Donald Trump reportedly joked to House Republicans on Wednesday that he "can't get rid of" the man who in recent months has been Trump's most vocal cheerleader.

The Hill reported that Trump said the following when meeting with members of the House GOP:

Keep ReadingShow less
Dean Withers; Emily Wilson
@larryjackmac/TikTok

Conservative Influencer Stuns TikTok By Saying That Slavery Should Be 'State-By-State' Choice

In many ways, we should have all seen the recent election results coming, and chief among the missed signs is how cooked some of Gen Z's brains are.

Though the majority of the age group voted for Kamala Harris, a staggering proportion voted for Donald Trump at a far higher percentage than is typical for the youth vote where Republicans are concerned.

Keep ReadingShow less