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Dramatic video captures the moment skiers find a man buried alive under snow in California; watch
Carson Schmidt, who posted the footage on Threads, said he and a companion were skiing when they noticed the faint tips of someone’s skis sticking out of the deep snow.
In the video, the skiers uncovered a man who had been completely buried and was struggling to breathe beneath the heavy snow
Two skiers are earning widespread praise online after a dramatic rescue at California’s Palisades Tahoe was caught on camera.
The incident unfolded on February 18 between the KT and Olympic Lady ski trails at the resort in California. Carson Schmidt, who later posted the footage on Threads, said he and a companion were skiing when they noticed the faint tips of someone’s skis sticking out of the deep snow. Sensing immediate danger, the pair rushed over and began digging frantically.
Within moments, they uncovered a man who had been completely buried and was struggling to breathe beneath the heavy snow. Though visibly shaken and disoriented after being freed, the skier was alive.
Schmidt later shared the video as a safety warning for others hitting the slopes. “Just want it to be a reminder to ski safe and ski with a buddy. It doesn’t have to be an avalanche or a tree well to get buried when it’s that deep,” he wrote.
Watch the video:
View on Threads
An X post by Collin Rugg also detailed the rescue and amplified the clip, which has since spread widely across social media.
NEW: Two skiers save the life of a man who was suffocating under snow after getting stuck at Palisades Tahoe resort in California.
The skiers were seen stopping in the powder before noticing a ski sticking out of the snow.
“For whatever reason we stopped and happen to just see… pic.twitter.com/MuoN7GfMAI
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 26, 2026
Viewers flooded the comments section with emotional reactions. One user wrote, “That was hard to watch, but thank you for posting. My son just lost his skiing buddy to a tree well at Northstar last week so this hits close to home.”
Another added, “You definitely did the right thing by posting this…it will help to bring peoples awareness to the dangers of skiing in fresh, heavy snow…they think they are safe because it’s a resort. Good work!”
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A third commenter said, “Insane footage. Those guys literally saved his life by pure luck and sharp eyes. Huge props to them.”
Echoing the sentiment, a fourth user wrote, “That’s incredible awareness and quick thinking. In conditions like that, seconds matter. Huge credit to those skiers for paying attention and acting fast, that could’ve ended very differently. A powerful reminder to always ski with a buddy and stay alert out there.”
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