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EDEN — A lone skier survived single-digit temperatures after he became lost for several hours in the backcountry near Powder Mountain Resort late Friday.
Michael Nessl, 33, said repeatedly reciting Psalm 23 helped him get through the life-threatening experience.
"What kept me going was just the fact that I believe God was protecting me as I was out there," he said.
Members of a search team found Nessl just before midnight and flew him out on a helicopter. Emergency medical workers treated him for frostbite on his big toes, but he was otherwise OK. Searchers said it was 4 degrees when they found him.
Nessl, of Sonora, California, said he entered the Lefty's area outside Powder Mountain about 2:30 p.m. and skied into a drainage. He said he passed a sign that read, "Lefty's Safari, Powder Mountain road 2 plus miles, very difficult to hike."
An experienced skier, Nessl said he'd skied the area before but never that deep into the canyon. He tried to ski and hike his way out until he became exhausted. He texted his wife about 5 p.m. to tell her he was lost and to contact Powder Mountain.
After a couple of hours, Nessl said, he assumed searchers weren't going to find him. He dug out a spot under a tree and curled up to stay warm.
"My feet were completely numb. I couldn't feel them at all. I could feel the cold kind of creeping up my legs. Everything else was actually staying pretty warm," he said.
Nessl said he dozed off but woke up when he felt his hand going numb. About that same time, he heard snowmobiles on a ridge. He also heard some voices. He said he yelled and shined a light from his cell phone. Two rescuers on foot reached him a few minutes later.
"I was pretty excited to see that there was two lights heading toward me," Nessl said. "I think they found me just at the right time. I was dozing off and I felt my hand going completely numb, so I got up and started moving again. I think any longer I would have fallen asleep and gotten really, really cold."
Searchers gave him a warm pair of gloves to replace his frozen ones, another jacket, hot chocolate and an energy bar before flying him to safety.
Contributing: Wendy Leonard
