Skier's Lifesaving Tech: Buried 4.5 Hours

0:00It's March 28th. This is Vancouver News today, powered by AI. On February 26th, experienced skier Michael Harris got swept up in a small avalanche while solo riding at Stevens Pass Mount Resort in. Washington. This lifelong local, known for hitting the slopes regularly, triggered the slide on a familiar run, ending up buried under snow for hours. His wife of 30 years, Penny, had been keeping tabs on him through the Find My App on her iPhone. In his location dot froze and her text went unanswered, she raised the alarm fast, sparking a rescue that pulled him out alive. Searchteens found Harris breathing but battling hypothermia, a fractured leg, and some minor internal injuries. Buried at least four and a half hours in a tight spot uphill from Iraq, he was curled in an L shape with his face down. The Northwest Avalanche Center report details how he cleared a big air pocket with one arm right by his face, plus the rock cavity and soft snow. Around him kept him from suffocating.

1:01Live recoveries this long are super rare. Stevens Pass manages over 230 avalanche paths with heavy mitigation work, yet this shows risks linger even on patrol terrain proving, tracking tech can be a real lifesaver out there.