On Jan. 18, 2019, Jackson skier Jenny Karns fell upside down into a terrain trap during a powder day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. With her ski partner well ahead and unaware, she became trapped, with just one ski sticking out of the snow. Just seconds from suffocating, she was found and dug out by three people who happened to be skiing by. Her fight for survival is the topic of the latest episode of “The Fine Line,” the monthly podcast produced by Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation and Backcountry Zero.
“I was under the snow, upside down, thinking this was the day I was going to die,” Karns tells podcast host Rebecca Huntington.
Jackson Hole ski patroller Kirk “Sparky” Speckhals and local skier Jenny Karns in the KHOL 89.1 FM studio. Photo: TCSAR Foundation
One of those skiers who came to her aid, Josh Bagnato, joins Karns in the studio, as well as Kirk "Sparky" Speckhals, a longtime JHMR ski patroller, who was first on scene and offers perspective on snow immersion suffocation (SIS), a danger that lurks on powder days.
From 2008 to 2018, there were 41 deaths nationwide attributed to SIS. According to DeepSnowSafety.org, an informative site about SIS, California leads the nation in such deaths, followed by Colorado and Washington. The majority of those fatalities occurred in tree wells during big snowstorms—conditions favored by powder hounds. But Karns fell over in the bottom of a gully and was then covered by a slough of snow.
Looking back, Karns says it’s important to keep your friends close. “My new motto is all friends on a powder day,” she says.
You can hear the entire episode on Backcountry Zero, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks to Karns, Speckhals, and Bagnato for sharing their stories.
Tips to avoid Snow Immersion Suffocation
Keep a whistle nearby to use in case of emergency.
Do whatever you can to keep your head above the surface of the snow including rolling, grabbing tree branches or the tree trunk. If possible, keep your feet below level of your head.
If you become immersed, make a space around your face and protect your airway – resist the urge to struggle, it could compromise your airspace and entrap you further.
Stay calm to conserve air.
Trust your partner is on their way.
If possible, use your cell phone to call ski patrol or the resort's emergency number.
