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Ian McIntosh, Canadian pro skier, survives 1,600-foot fall down mountain

Ian McIntosh, a Canadian professional skier, went cartwheeling down a near vertical mountain in Alaska’s remote Neacola range last April, falling 1,600 feet in less than a minute, and lived to talk about it.

'Gnarly' experience over in less than 1 minute

Doug Harrison · CBC Sports ·
Ian McIntosh, a Canadian professional skier, went cartwheeling down a near vertical mountain in Alaska’s remote Neacola range last April, falling 1,600 feet in less than a minute and lived to talk about it. He suffered a sore neck and body, describing the experience as "gnarly." (Twitter/@imcintoshski)

This was no bunny hill.

Ian McIntosh, a Canadian professional skier, went cartwheeling down a near vertical mountain in Alaska's remote Neacola range last April, falling 1,600 feet in less than a minute and lived to talk about it.

McIntosh, who at the time was being filmed by action sports media company Teton Gravity Research for the movie Paradise Waits, was attempting to ski down the so-called spine of the mountain when his feet gave out as he chose one side of a ridge in the snow.

Video of the incident, which was only released this week, was taken by a body camera and helicopter and captured every bone-jarring grunt as McIntosh fell, while the extreme athlete pulled his airbag "to prevent against any possible trauma injuries."

Teton Gravity Research owner Todd Jones said in a news release that the fall "was the most terrifying crash I've ever seen."

McIntosh, who described the experience as "gnarly," admitted to having a sore neck and body, yet was determined to return to work, er, skiing.

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