Abe Finkelstein's snowboard got him into a dicey situation on Monday—but also helped him survive it. The 25-year-old engineer used his board and some branches to build a makeshift shelter to spend the night in after becoming stranded in white-out conditions in wilderness near Lake Tahoe, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. He had been snowboarding with his father and became lost after going for a final solo run.
After spending the night in the shelter, Finkelstein trekked through rugged terrain and waist-deep snow, following a creek until he found a home where he asked for help. Some 50 search and rescue workers had been scouring the area for him, but "he was able to successfully self-rescue," a police spokesman says. "I don't recommend that for everybody." Locals say they are amazed Finkelstein managed to survive getting lost in the snowstorm with only a mild case of frostbite. "That was gnarly yesterday. That was super tough," a Soda Springs resident tells CBS of the day's conditions. (Read more Lake Tahoe stories.)
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