Avalanches are terrifying forces of nature. The internet is filled with videos of their aftermath, much like this one in Telluride. Most give a glimpse of what an avalanche sounds like, but it's magnified as the sound bounces off the mountains, leaving us to wonder, what does an avalanche sound like close up? We didn't have to wonder for long. A video posted to TikTok by Erik Henrickson, @erikhenrickson, showcases exactly what an avalanche sounds like.
@tsn Reply to @hockeyman_567 so terrifying. (🎥: @erikhenrickson) #extremesports #ski ? original sound - TSN
Henrickson is skiing down the mountainside as some snow breaks off, sliding down the hill. While you'd expect the rushing snow to sound thunderous, it's eerily quiet, putting a whole new meaning to silent but deadly. The TikTokverse marveled at how close Henrickson came to getting swept up in the cascading snow. One viewer writes that they would be thinking, "yeah, I think I'm done for the day," prompting Henrickson to respond, "Better to quit while ahead." Others were impressed at his silence, "No cursing or anything?!? I would have been throwing Hail Marys, and I'm not even religious." It is an impressive feat.
"I don't know why, but I expected it to be louder. Maybe I'm just used to movies making it sound like an elephant stampede," another viewer comments, musing that the quietness of the snow makes it much worse and more dangerous.
Another viewer was impressed with the angle of the video, writing, "So crazy how it shears off and slides on top like that. Great perspective. We always see it recorded from the bottom end." So often, videos show the aftermath of the avalanche, not the beginning of one, making this video unique in multiple aspects.
