A New Hampshire skier suffered a life-threatening leg injury after triggering an avalanche on Mount Washington, authorities said.
Dominic Torro, 30, was skiing with a friend in an area of the mountain called Airplane Gully when the incident happened around 11:35 a.m. local time Saturday, the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game Enforcement said in a Facebook post.
“Torro’s friend and another unrelated skier jumped in to help Torro,” authorities said. “Two other skiers assisted Torr and called an ambulance. This 911 call started the rescue process.”
The 911 call triggered a complicated rescue operation involving multiple agencies, including New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers, the US Forest Service Snow Rangers and the National Guard, NHFGC added.
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In a post on Instagram, Torro said that while emergency responders were mobilizing, his friend, whom he identified as Adama, and another skier named Kevin provided assistance while also shoveling the landing area for the National Guard helicopter.
“Both skiers who assisted did an excellent job given the conditions and the situation,” authorities said. “While awaiting the arrival of the National Guard helicopter, the skiers shoveled a space on the side slope so that the paramedics and pallbearers who would be lowered from the National Guard helicopter would have enough room to load Torro and lift him into the helicopter as it hovered above.”
Shortly after 3 p.m., a helicopter was able to reach Torro, who was then taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon to be treated for his injuries, New Hampshire Fish and Game said.
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Although the Mount Washington Avalanche Center (MWAC) had issued a warning for the area, Torro said he and Adam continued skiing down the mountain after noticing that “the snowpack seemed stable.”
“About 30′ into the run I heard Adam yelling an avalanche,” he wrote in his Instagram post. “The slab broke above me, right under a crown rock about 15′ wide and 1.5′ high. Several smaller, disconnected, filled pockets have also come loose.”
The video, shared by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, shows firsthand what the experience was like. The skier yells “Whoa,” as a flurry of snow begins to fall around him.
The Bow, New Hampshire, resident said he was carried about 500 feet but managed to stay on top of the debris. “I never lost consciousness and I protected my head,” he said.
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But when he stopped, he noticed he only had one ski – and his leg had suffered a compound fracture, he added in his post.
Torro said in another post that Adam and Kevin then called 911 while digging a platform where they could work to stabilize Torro and use a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He added that he is awaiting surgery on his leg and expects to go home this week.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the rescue teams, the National Guard, Adam and Kevin for their help,” he said.
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“Be safe out there,” Torro added. “This could have happened to anyone who recreated in the wilderness. I will use this as a learning and teaching experience as I improve my knowledge and skills related to snow science and backcountry travel.”
Each year, an average of 25 people are injured on the demanding slopes of the mountain, which is the highest peak in the Northeast, according to MWAC.
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