Brock Crouch in hospital following the avalanche (Instagram)
A pro snowboarder from Carlsbad California is thankful after surviving an avalanche in the Whistler Backcountry earlier this week.
As he was standing on the top of a ridge 18-year-old Brock Crouch says some snow broke under him and sent him backward into a slide.
He says he fell almost 1000 feet down the mountain in an avalanche and ended up buried for five minutes — fortunately, his friends dug him out.
“Luckily for me, I was with some of the most experienced people in the world when it comes to backcountry safety,” said Crouch in an Instagram post. “And without them I wouldn’t be here today so thank you all,”
Friends say they found him blue but conscious when they uncovered his head, about two feet beneath the surface.
Crouch had five teeth knocked out and is suffering from a torn pancreas and multiple fractured vertebrae.
He was filming with five others during the day.
Brock Crouch in hospital following the avalanche (Instagram)
He has competed in three X Games and was also part of the 2017 U.S. Surfing team that won gold at the I.S.A. World Junior Surfing Championships in Japan.
Crouch was able to walk and left for the U.S. on Friday.
With files from the Canadian Press
Julian Kolsut
