A couple of comments, in no particular order:

1. Yes, even very small avalanches can kill you. Big ones just kill you more easily.

2. While occaisionally people are caught in natural releases, the vast majority of the time the avalanche that gets you is triggered by you or a member of your group. That is true in this case, and statistics indicate that is true overall.

3. Good travel protocall is that only one person is exposed at a time. Do not do what this guy did. Do not wait under a slope while someone else travels above you. This guy did, and almost paid the price. Keep spaced out except when on totally mellow terrain. If someone gets stuck on a slope, they must dig themselves out. If you go to help, you are more likely to trigger a slide (see #5 below), and two of you can be buried.

4. Wear a beacon! Carry your rescue gear (shovel and probe) on your person, not strapped to your machine. When caught in a slide you can never be sure who/what will remain on the surface. Imagine if you manage to stay on top but your machine and your buddy are both buried. Without a shovel, you will have little hope of digging him out in time, even if you locate him with a beacon. YOU ARE THE RESCUE TEAM. Going for help means going for help to recover the body.

5. Snow machiners can be at greater risk than skiiers and climbers. This is due to several factors.

• More weight means more stress on the snow pack. The weight of a rider and machine may trigger a slope that a single skiier alone might not.
• More weight can trigger deeper layers, making a bigger more dangerous slide.
• Subtle clues ("whumping sounds", "shooting cracks", changes in snow texture, etc) are harder to see when traveling fast on a machne.

6. Trauma can kill you as dead as suffocation. A slide can carry you into/over/through trees or boulders. Big slides can knock down mature forests. Imagine what they could do to you?

7. Always carry rescue gear (#4 above) but remember that not getting caught is vastly better than getting rescued. Get some training. Learn to evaluate conditions. Practice good travel protocal.

8. Remember that even experts make mistakes. Be conservative!

Have fun, but be safe.