Survived an avalanche: Anyone else get backcountry anxiety after a close call?
Hey everyone,
About 3 years ago I was caught in an avalanche while ski touring. I was incredibly lucky — I ended up buried but with one hand sticking out, so my friends were able to find me quickly and dig me out. I had no injuries and was even able to ski away afterward.
Physically I walked away fine, but mentally it’s something I still carry with me. Since then, I sometimes get pretty nervous in the backcountry — to the point where I’m not always enjoying it the way I used to. The fear can feel a bit irrational at times, and it comes up every other day.
This winter has been especially tough with the persistent weak layer situation in Austria. It’s made everything feel more unpredictable, and I’ve noticed my anxiety is worse. I also sometimes get the impression that my ski touring partners are starting to lose patience with me, which doesn’t help.
I’m curious if anyone here has gone through something similar after an avalanche or close call. What helped you work through it? Did it get better over time, or did you approach things differently?
Would really appreciate hearing your experiences.