5487 [Photo Via: JONATHAN SELKOWITZ, Jackson Hole News and Guide

Jackson Hole ski patroller Mark “Big Wally” Wolling is in a battle for his life after being buried in an avalanche this morning.

According to reports, Wolling and a partner were using explosives to do avalanche control work when an explosion caused the slope above them to fail. His partner survived the incident by grabbing a tree, but Wolling was not so lucky: The avalanche knocked him over a cliff and carried him over 100 feet before he came to a stop.

According to Patrol Director Jake Elkins, Wolling was buried under six feet of snow and debris. His partner, who was able to locate him using a radio transceiver, managed to dig Wolling out within about 10 minutes but he was not breathing and had no detectable pulse. Jackson Hole Underground reports that patrollers performed CPR and used an AED, which found no shockable rhythm.

But when Wolling was transported to the Teton Village Clinic doctors detected a pulse. He is now being treated at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

According to Jackson Hole Underground, this isn’t Wolling’s first battle with death. He survived a paragliding crash 10 or 12 years ago and in 2004 dodged a grizzly bear attack.

Our thoughts go out to Mr. Wolling and his family.

[Via: Jackson Hole Underground]

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