A young man narrowly escaped death after triggering an avalanche. He later told rescuers that only luck saved him from being buried by the snow mass or crashing into the nearby rocky slopes.
The incident occurred on Sunday when a group of young people were freeriding in the area around the "Rila Lakes" hut. The snow mass slid down after one of them passed down the slope, triggering the avalanche.
Martin Djokin, Head of the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) in Dupnitsa: "Once the snow starts moving, it accelerates to an extremely high speed in just a few seconds. There are rocks sticking out of the snow surface, about half a meter high. All the sliding snow crashes into them and then continues downhill, which creates a real risk of injury if someone is swept away, leading to severe trauma."
In an unprecedented stroke of luck, the young man was riding just metres from the avalanche. Fortunately, he emerged unharmed, but it seems he didn't fully realize the severity of what had happened.
Martin Djokin, Head of MRS Dupnitsa: "They were excited, happy, and took the whole incident lightly. They seemed to treat it like a fun and interesting game. We are concerned that even his friends may think it’s very cool and will want to try being in such a situation themselves."
Due to the alternating warm and cold weather, in some places the snow cover has turned into ice, topped with new snow, which creates a risk of both slipping and avalanches. The Mountain Rescue Service urges freeriders to always be well-equipped when riding off-piste.
Borislav Kirilov – Mountain Rescuer, MRS Dupnitsa: "People should do some research beforehand, which could take half an hour, to find out when it last snowed, what the weather was like, and whether there was wind. This has a big impact on the likelihood of an avalanche."
Proper preparation saves lives, say mountain rescuers. Therefore, always take time to study your intended terrain, ride in a group, and stay in touch with each other.
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