In a jaw-dropping story of sheer survival against impossible odds, a woman from British Columbia has cheated death in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. Completely buried upside down in a ferocious avalanche on Mount Seymour’s backcountry slopes near Vancouver, she endured 15 to 20 minutes—or possibly longer—trapped beneath tons of suffocating snow. Rescuers who finally dug her out described the rescue as nothing short of miraculous, with her chances of emerging alive labeled “increasingly doubtful” after such a prolonged burial.

The heart-stopping incident exploded into chaos on a Sunday afternoon in early March 2024, when the woman and her companion were snowshoeing on the south face of Pump Peak, roughly 24 kilometers northeast of downtown Vancouver. The pair had ventured into the rugged North Shore mountains for what should have been a routine winter outing. Avalanche conditions were treacherous, but nothing prepared them for the sudden roar that turned the peaceful slope into a deadly white torrent.

Without warning, the snowpack released with terrifying force. The woman was swept away instantly, tumbling head over heels in the churning mass until she came to rest completely buried—upside down, face down in the snow, with no air pocket, no way to move, and no way to signal. Her companion, miraculously not fully buried, frantically began searching the debris field. Using only his hands and sheer desperation, he clawed through the heavy, packed snow, probing desperately for any sign of her.

After what felt like an eternity—estimated at 15 to 20 minutes or more—he spotted the tip of her snowshoe protruding from the surface. Digging furiously, he uncovered her head and upper body. She was unresponsive, cyanotic—her skin blue from oxygen deprivation—and hypothermic, her body temperature plummeting in the freezing grip of the snow. “She had a lower state of responsiveness, was quite blue, and it was clear she’d been without air for a long time,” rescuers later reported. The companion’s heroic efforts had given her the slimmest chance at life.

North Shore Rescue (NSR) teams were dispatched immediately after the emergency call. Volunteers and professionals raced up the mountain on skis and snowcats, battling worsening weather to reach the scene. When they arrived, they found the woman already partially freed by her partner, but still in critical condition. Emergency medical care was administered on the spot: oxygen, warming measures, and stabilization to combat the hypothermia and shock. She was then carefully packaged and sledded down the treacherous terrain to waiting ambulances.

Miraculously, she survived. Transported to hospital in serious but stable condition, she defied every statistic. Experts know that full burial in an avalanche drops survival rates dramatically after the first 15 minutes—oxygen depletes, carbon dioxide builds, and the cold accelerates organ failure. Beyond 20 minutes, successful rescues become exceedingly rare. Yet this woman pulled through, her survival hailed as a “total miracle” by the very rescuers who thought they were recovering a body.

NSR emphasized the rarity of the outcome in their official update: “A successful rescue after a 15-20+ minute burial is increasingly doubtful.” The fact that she was buried upside down made it even more improbable—gravity pulling blood to her head, compressing her chest, restricting breathing even further. Her companion’s quick thinking and relentless digging were the difference between tragedy and triumph.

The North Shore mountains, beautiful yet unforgiving, have claimed lives before. Mount Seymour’s backcountry is notorious for its steep slopes and unpredictable snowpack, especially after heavy precipitation followed by temperature swings. Avalanche Canada had issued warnings, but the pair—experienced enough to venture out—still fell victim to nature’s fury. The slide, while not massive in scale, was powerful enough to fully engulf one person and leave the other fighting for both their lives.

This incredible escape has reignited global fascination with avalanche survival stories. From the “miracle” air pockets that save some to the rapid response of companions with probes and shovels, every second counts in these frozen nightmares. Her story serves as both inspiration and stark warning: backcountry travel demands preparation—beacons, shovels, probes, knowledge of conditions, and never going alone. One small miscalculation, one overlooked weak layer, and disaster strikes.

As she recovers, the unnamed woman embodies resilience. Pulled from what should have been a snowy grave, her survival reminds everyone that miracles do happen—even when the odds scream otherwise. Her companion’s love and determination turned despair into deliverance. In the shadow of Mount Seymour, a life was snatched back from the brink.

The North Shore Rescue team continues its vital work, ready for the next call. But this time, they got the miracle they rarely see. A woman buried alive for nearly 20 minutes walked away—alive, breathing, and forever changed. In the battle between human spirit and nature’s wrath, spirit won.