r/theydidthemath • u/Fizzerolli • 3d ago

[request] Assuming fresh powdery snow, how deep would it have to be for the paratrooper to survive, if possible?

Post image

My son sent me this. My immediate thought based on nothing is that it’s unsurvivable regardless of the depth.

7.4k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

210 comments sorted by

View all comments

96

u/Mathi_boy04 3d ago

I think even if the snow is deep and light enough to cushion the impact, you will go so deep into the snow you won't be able to get yourself out of it and will "drown" like people stuck in avalanches.

3

u/quad_up 3d ago

Depends on the slope. Back in like 2005-2010 skiers were regularly hitting 100ft+ cliffs, “taking a hip” and skiing away. Essentially you land on your back or side and bounce back on your skis and ski away.

The record was something like 240ft, but I remember reading it was insignificant because someone fell out of a plane from like 25k, landed on the right kind of slope and walked away.

Them were some wild times back then. People still huck, but not like they used to.