Heart-stopping video shows moment snowboarder slides down mountain while trapped in avalanche

This is the dizzying moment when a snowboarder gets caught in an avalanche on a Utah mountain, but manages to stay on top of the cascading snow and survive unscathed.

Blake Nielson was cruising through Big Cottonwood Canyon near Salt Lake City on Sunday when the avalanche began, and he captured the entire incident on a camera mounted to the front of his helmet.

The film shows the ground suddenly receding from Nielson, who then struggles to stay on the surface using “swimming motions” in the shifting snow. He finally managed to escape the slide after about 300 feet of downward movement.

Nielson said in a report from the Utah Avalanche Center that he thought the avalanche was caused by a gust of wind that broke up a large slab of snow he was riding on.

Blake Nielson tries to regain control when he gets caught in an avalanche

Snowboarder Blake Nielson survived Sunday’s avalanche in Utah

In the clip, Nielson could be seen starting his descent into the snow bowl and calmly going down for a few turns.

After one final turn, the snow under his board suddenly began to break up and slide around him in great sheets.

‘Logan, I’m sliding, Logan, I’m sliding!’ she could be heard screaming frantically into her radio as the snow began to close in around her.

After sliding fast with the avalanche for a few moments, he managed to stay above the torrent of snow and let his partner know by yelling ‘I’m staying on top, but I’m sliding’.

Nielson tries to regain control by moving his arms in a “swimming motion”.

Nielson said it slid about 300 feet before it could stop.

Nielson was eventually able to regain control and avoid sliding with the avalanche.

Nielson was eventually able to stop, but he said the avalanche continued down the mountain for about 1,300 feet before finally stopping.

I was able to keep most of my body above the snow and was able to radio my partner that I was sliding through the rubble. he said in his Utah Avalanche Center report.

“An isolated wind slab came loose below and on top of me, knocking me off my feet and taking me for a ride,” he added.

Nielson took these photos of the aftermath of the avalanche

Nielson said the snow was blown by strong gusts of wind.

Looking up at the mountains where the avalanche trapped Nielson

Nielson said he and his partner did extensive checks on the mountain to see if the snow was stable enough for snowboarding.

He noted that during their review the snow seemed stable, but they were wary of the winds blowing over the mountain.

‘Respect the wind. Even a small “rideable” airbag can rupture and carry you a long way on steep terrain with long hauls,” he warned in his report.

Kessler Peak, near Salt Lake City, where Nielson was trapped in an avalanche

The Utah Avalanche Center said the last recorded avalanche fatality in the state was in 2021.

A pair of skiers at a separate location near Salt Lake City were also swept away in an avalanche on Sunday, according to the New York Post. None of those athletes was injured in the incident.

But on Saturday in Colorado, a pair of snowmobiles got caught in an avalanche around Winter Park and died after becoming trapped under the snow.