Riding an Avalanche

In this video, Tom Oye was snowboarding at Whistler, British Columbia, when an avalanche opened up beneath his feet. His helmet cam gives us his personal POV as he was tossed down the mountain.

(YouTube link)

But listen: that mechanical sound you hear is Oye's inflatable backpack airbag deploying, designed for just such an emergency. The bag helped keep him above the snow, and might have also helped if he were thrown into rocks or trees. They're not cheap, but could save your life.