( Special to the Denver Post ) 
 
 Two brothers from Ophir survived a massive avalanche Wednesday in the San Miguel County backcountry after one of them was swept away and buried. "Given the circumstances and nature of the slide, this skier is extremely fortunate," said sheriff's deputy Todd Rector, who led the rescue operation. Brian Holmes, 26, and Alex Holmes, 27, were skiing from Trout Lake to Ophir and were on top of the Fatwa area when Brian began his decent, triggering an avalanche. When Alex Holmes initially tried to ski down to search for his brother, he triggered a second avalanche. He did not feel it was safe enough to continue and so he skied back to Trout Lake to call for help. Brian said he was able to pull himself out of the slide after being carried an estimated 1,000 feet down the mountain, ultimately landing on his back and mostly buried in snow with only his face and an arm exposed. He said it took about 15 minutes to get out, then he began searching for his brother, who he thought was dead. During the mission, dispatchers reported that they received calls from a cellphone belonging to Brian Holmes coming from the area of the slide. They heard someone breathing, but no further communication was established. After searching and attempting to call 911 for an hour, Brian made his way down to the Town of Ophir, reaching deputies at about 2 p.m. 
 
 Brian was assessed at the Telluride Medical Center and treated for non-life threatening injuries. "The San Juans in general can represent some of the most tenuous snow conditions on the continent," Rector said.
– Two brothers got a major pre-Thanksgiving scare when they both believed the other to have died in an avalanche while skiing the Colorado backcountry Wednesday, 9News reports. Alex Holmes, 27, was watching as his brother Brian, 26, triggered an avalanche and was hit by the wave of snow. According to the Denver Post, Alex tried to ski down to rescue his brother but decided it was too dangerous after he triggered a second slide. A San Miguel County sheriff's deputy calls the area in the San Juan Mountains "some of the most tenuous snow conditions on the continent." Believing his brother dead, Alex went to get help. Unbeknownst to Alex, Brian was alive but mostly buried in snow 1,000 feet down the hill, the Post reports. According to 9News, it took Brian—with only his face and one arm unburied—15 minutes or so to dig himself free. "Given the circumstances and nature of the slide, this skier is extremely fortunate," the sheriff's deputy says. CBS Denver reports Brian searched for Alex while attempting to call 911 for an hour with no luck. Brian—who similarly believed his brother was dead—made it to a nearby town before the rescue team alerted by Alex could find him.