"Miracle" Avalanche Rescue Captured on Camera

According to the post, the mountaineers initiated the rescue because they spotted a waving glove in the snow around 4 p.m. They contacted the provincial assistance commission and headed to the burial site. They dug for about half an hour before pulling the couple out of the avalanche debris.

Two of the mountaineers were expert guides, which, the post said, was “crucial” to a positive outcome. The buried couple weren’t seriously hurt, but they were suffering from hypothermia, the post said. The mountaineers gave them thermal blankets, dry clothes, and hot tea before a helicopter arrived.

The couple wasn’t equipped with avalanche safety gear like a beacon, shovel, or probe.

This equipment is widely considered to be mandatory when traveling through avalanche-prone areas in the backcountry during the winter, whether someone is a skier, mountaineer, or snowmobiler. Without it—a beacon, in particular—avalanche rescues can be more complicated if not impossible.

Perched at the southern tip of Argentina, Ushuaia is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego province. According to Andescross, a guiding service, the area is home to ample backcountry skiing that some compare to the formidable slopes found in Valdez, Alaska. The winter season lasts from July to November.

Ushuaia is also home to a nearby ski resort: Cerro Castor. The mountain has a unique calling card—it’s the southernmost ski resort in the world.

Elsewhere in South America, the ski season is well underway. Valle Nevado, Chile, recently announced that after receiving several feet of snow, its terrain was 100% open. Ski resorts across the continent are expected to remain open until September or October.