The calm before the chaos as an avalanche approached skiers on Mount Elbrus. Photo: The Sun // YouTube
There’s nothing quite as terrifying as watching a force of nature make its inexorable path towards you. Whether it’s a heaving slab of water or a thundering avalanche, the feeling is the same. In a moment of eerie calm, you can see ahead to a future full of destruction and chaos, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
That’s the moment that was captured on video by a visitor to a Russian ski resort this week. In a scene straight out of the film Force Majeure, the videographer watches a wall of snow make its way straight towards them, as other guests begin to flee.
The scene unfolded on Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. The dormant stratovolcano stands 18,500 feet above sea level, making it the tenth-most prominent peak in the world. It is also the home to 14 miles of ski slopes and a popular destination for backcountry skiers.
However, for the past week, Elbrus’ slopes and cable cars have been non-operational, due to high avalanche risk. To ameliorate the situation, authorities triggered a controlled snow release on January 15, which is the moment caught on film.
The video ends with cars, onlookers, and eventually the cameraman engulfed in a white cloud. Luckily, no deaths have been reported.
