Terrifying GoPro Footage of Skier Plunging into Deep Glacier Crevasse
Newly-shared GoPro footage shows the terrifying moment a skier falls into a deep glacier crevasse in the French Alps.
In the video, the skier is seen skiing a glacier near La Grave, France when he suddenly comes across a deep hole and has no time to avoid the crevasse.
The skier, who is filming himself with a GoPro camera strapped to his helmet, is suddenly seen plunging feet-first into the crevasse.
The screen goes black for a brief moment as the skier is knocked off his feet before he is seen being slammed by massive pieces of snow.
The skier is seen hurtling down the terrifying deep glacier crevasse. He then manages to narrowly wedge his skis into the side of the crevasse, stopping him from facing a more perilous and bigger fall.
It is estimated that the skier slid about 15 meters down into the glacier before he was able to stop. At the end of the clip, he is heard gasping for air as he catches his breath.
‘The Longest Minutes of Our Lives’
The video was filmed by a member of a group of off-piste skiers called “Les Powtos” who were skiing a glacier on the mountain of Meije near La Grave in France’s southern Alps in April 2022.
However, the Les Powtos group only shared the video with the public on April 18, 2023. They waited a year before posting the video out of respect for the fact they nearly lost a member of their mountaineering group that day.
According to The Washington Post, the group of off-piste skiers watched their friend fall into the deep glacier crevasse from a lower vantage point on the mountain.
It took them 15 to 20 minutes to reach the crevasse he had fallen into and the group called it “the longest [minutes] of our lives.” The mountaineering group feared that their friend had fallen head first or too deep to be rescued.
However, the skier, who wishes to remain anonymous, was able to start hoisting himself out of the crevasse with crampons and his skis on his back.
When the rest of the group reached him, they used ice screws, axes, and a rope to pull him out to safety. The skier survived his fall and did not sustain any injuries.
Members of the Les Powtos group tell The Washington Post that they decided to share the video not to create a “buzz” but to educate others about the potential dangers of the sport.
The publication says the group wants to raise awareness about the dangers of being distracted on skis, even for people with experience navigating mountains.
Image credits: Header photo via Instagram/@lespowtos.
