SEATTLE – A 20-year-old Washington state woman who survived being buried by an avalanche for at least 10 minutes at Crystal Mountain ski resort says her first thought was, in her words, "I could easily die right here."
Emily Anderson of Allyn tells KING-TV that she had just finished one of the best ski runs of her life Tuesday when the snow slid away beneath her feet. She remembers going down and being unable to stop.
She was skiing in-bounds with a friend.
She used her left arm to scoop snow away from her mouth and create an air pocket. Then she prayed.
Ski patrol members and other nearby skiers were probing the snow with metal poles and quickly found her.
Before she skis again, Anderson plans on buying an avalanche beacon and taking avalanche safety courses.
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