Billy Seibert is an avid backcountry snowmobile rider. On Saturday, January 20th, he found himself stuck in an avalanche and is still alive to tell the tale.
In his own words, “I felt the mountain move.”
As soon as Seibert realized the mountain was sliding, he tried to ride his snowmobile out of it. To do this, one needs to get their snowmobile in the opposite direction to where the mountain is sliding. Siebert was unable to do this.
It all happened so quickly that he did not even have a chance to pull his avalanche airbag. The bag is designed to fill with air to keep the user closer to the snow's surface.
As snow covered him, he remembered his avalanche training. He knew he needed to try and swim in the snow.
Once the snow settled Seibert was stuck... unable to move and he knew the race for his life had just begun.
The avalanche had moved Billy 140 feet down the mountain. Through their trackers, Seibert's friends found and dug him out 19 minutes later.
He could not believe he was alive.
Seibert is adamant that all riders should learn that having the correct avalanche training can be the difference between life and death.
Billy said, “I could have gotten out sooner if there was better training and it’s important to get that out there.”