A front-end loader cleaning up the avalanche debris in the parking lot. Photo courtesy of Vance Fox.

Some Advice from Anna Conrad
“I was 22 when I was buried under that avalanche. I’m 50 now and I live in Mammoth Lakes, California. I have a prosthetic leg from the frostbite I got then. What people don’t realize about amputees is they can do anything they want. I ski all the time. The biggest thing I learned is you have to respect the weather and Mother Nature. Take the time to find out what the conditions are like if you’re going to the backcountry or exposed areas. Watch out for frostbite—the trick is to minimize exposure of your skin to the cold. The one thing that kept me alive during those five days: having 100 percent faith in the search-and-rescue people. I wanted to be able to say thanks when they found me, and I managed to regain consciousness when they pulled me out.”