Skier and Her Dog Caught in Avalanche While Backcountry Touring
Spanish cyclist Ares Masip survives deadly avalanche in Andorra's backcountry
Spanish cyclist Ares Masip is an experienced backcountry skier familiar with Andorra's mountain terrain—but that expertise nearly cost her life.
In a video Masip shared on Instagram, the athlete triggers an avalanche and is swept away by it. She posted the footage to explain what had happened.
Masip knew the area well and had planned only a short tour. With the avalanche risk rated as low, she misjudged the danger and assumed she was safe.
By sharing her harrowing experience, the Spanish skier hopes to drive home a hard lesson: there is no such thing as zero risk in backcountry skiing.
Heavy snowfall last week, combined with strong winds, has pushed avalanche danger in Switzerland to critical levels. Over the past weekend, numerous spontaneous slides occurred, along with 80 avalanches triggered by people, according to the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF). Conditions remain precarious, and freeriders and backcountry skiers are urged to exercise extreme caution and patience.
