amy clancy of our seattle affiliate reports. >> shovels, friends and fellow snowmobilers work franticallyo make an air passage. >> i was suffocating face first into the snow. i couldn't move anything. my legs, my toes, my arms, anything. >> the trouble started when swanson lost control of his snowmobile. that's him in the distance walking toward it. but then another snow mole bealer raced along the top of set off the avalanche. watch carefully, you'll see him disappear. a snowmobiler races off to help. >> it was scary. >> one of swanson's best friends was among those helping dig him out of the snow. most of the others were complete strangers. swanson could hear his rescuers but he thought he might suffocate before they could find him. >> i guess by the time that thought crossed my mind, i could hear them yelling. where are you at? i knew they were close. >> can you breathe? we got you, buddy. >> the video runs out before they pull him up out of the snow unharmed. >> the transition out and tow it to the shop. >> by this afternoon, john and rick had time to think about the close call, their