*** Quick Rescue Saves Avalanched Skier ***

Date: Sat, 08 Mar 1997 10:29:45 -0900
From: Bruce & Judy Bowler <cozylog@Alaska.NET>
Organization: Cozy Log Bed & Breakfast /"SEADOGS"
To: sarinfo@mindlink.bc.ca
Subject: Avalanche

Letters to the Editor, Juneau Empire, Juneau, Alaska 3/7/97

Glad to be able to thank two who saved my life.


From: Rick Shattuck

It is amazing how fragile life is. It can all change, or be lost, in a
matter of seconds.

My life nearly ended on March 1 near Eaglecrest Ski Area. Had it not been
for the bravery and selflessness of Jim Roper and Randy Sear, I would not
be here to write a letter of thanks, but rather someone would have been
writing my eulogy.

Jim, Randy and I were doing something that we all love to do. In enjoying
the pastime of skiing, we were well aware of the risks we take. Yet, one
never thinks that the unthinkable will happen to them. All that it took
was a few seconds of being less mindful of these risks to experience a
huge dose of reality. As I casually  took a turn down a slope I have
skied many times before, the slope gave way, and I found myself caught
in an avalanche.

At first it seemed that I may be able to ski out of it. Then it grabbed
my feet out from under me, and in less than one second, I was buried over
my head. I couldn't  breathe, and I couldn't move at all, with the
exception of a few fingers on my right  hand. I knew Jim and Randy were
near by, and as I lay helpless and running out of  air, I hoped to God
that they saw what happened to me and saw where I went  under. I prayed
they would find me in time. I prayed that my hand was actually sticking
out of the snow and visible to my searchers.

From what I understand, Jim  watched me until I went under, so he knew
where to start looking. Once in the area, Randy spotted a movement in the
snow, and found my hand. I heard them  above me, and started screaming for
help, but with each scream, I gasped for air and instead got a mouthful of
snow to choke on. Although it seemed like an eternity as I lay there
thinking about dying, I know these two found me incredibly quickly under
the circumstances. They dug with every once of energy they had to find my
head, get me an air passage, and eventually free the rest of  my body.

Jim's and Randy's quick thinking and cool heads are the only reasons that
I am alive today. Every day that I live subsequent to March 1, 1997, is
a day that I owe these two heroes. The words that I have mulled over for
trying to express my  gratitude seem woefully inadequate. These words
can't possibly convey a fraction of the appreciation that I feel. I
barely knew these two guys before that day, but I will surely never
forget them. Thank you so much for being there. Thank you for  saving my
life.

A word of thanks to the three skiers, none of whose names I know, that
showed up and helped relieve Jim and Randy in their digging. Although I
was out of danger at that point, I was still in a lot of discomfort, and
Jim and Randy were exhausted after 20 minutes of digging. I also want to
apologize to both Jim and Randy for  involving them in such a traumatic
experience. You have my eternal gratitude.

Rick Shattuck
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