Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche (Netflix)

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Buried:

This is why I never leave the lodge.

Quick synopsis:

The story of the Lake Tahoe Alpine Meadows avalanche in 1982.

Fact for Non-History People:

Avalanches can reach 80 mph within about 5 seconds.

Fact for History Nerds:

Avalanches kill about 150 people worldwide each year.

My Take on Buried:

I feel like a lot of documentaries lately overstay their welcome. Streaming services stretch out topics to 3 or 4 episodes and it becomes clear episodes 2 and 3 could have easily been cut without damaging the story. Buried is not one of those documentaries. It is fantastic.

Buried tells the story of the Alpine Meadows avalanche in 1982 and the subsequent rescue and recovery efforts. It’s about an hour and a half of archival footage plus many of the people who were there. I love this type of documentary where you don’t get voice-over exposition and talking heads who have nothing to do with the topic. These people were there and are clearly still traumatized by it. Not only that, but there is also some serious interpersonal conflict which is unresolved. The whole thing is done well, and I highly recommend watching it.

Verdict:

An absolute must watch. Watch it here!

If You Liked This Try:

• The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (Netflix)
• Class Action Park (HBO)