Taken for a ride

 
Source:  http://www.backcountryaccess.com/2012/01/29/pro-snowboarder-saved-by-float/
 
Meesh Hytner, a pro snowboarder, was riding near the Snake River drainage on January 25th and triggered a substantial (R2D2+) avalanche that took her tumbling to the valley floor below. She was able to deploy her Float 30 avalanche airbag shortly after the crown broke, allowing her to remain on the surface of the giant slab as it broke out above her.
 
 “I felt like I was riding a mattress down the stairs,” she said. Luckily, Meesh was able to remain upright with her back and feet downhill for the entirety of the slide:
 
The avalanche danger for the Vail-Summit zone was considerable that day on all aspects and elevations, with human-triggered avalanches likely. Meesh and company had snowmobiled up to snowboard the northeast faces, some of which had already slid. She was very lucky to have survived unscathed. “Thank you” she said, “this thing saved my life. It’s proof that this product works.”