A Whitehorse man is being presented with the first Commissioner's Award for Bravery given since 2008 after risking his life to save a fellow claim staker two years ago.

On Nov. 15, 2009, Trevor Smith and Rafe Etzel were working 160 kilometres north of Mayo.

The day began as it normally would, with a helicopter dropping the men off to begin their work day.

Etzel was alone on the side of a mountain when the snow underneath him gave way and he was buried up to his ankles.

"It didn't seem that steep at the time; I didn't expect anything,” he told the Star this morning.

Moments later, the then-23-year-old tried to use his radio to call for help when he heard a "woosh”.

"I looked up and there was this big white cloud coming at me,” Etzel recalled.

Just like that, he was tumbling down the side of the mountain.

"Every time I thought my feet hit the ground, I tried to jump up but I just kept falling,” Etzel said.

When he finally stopped, Etzel was completely buried.

"I couldn't move and started freaking out,” Etzel said. "My wrist still moved a little so I tried to call SOS with my radio.”

In the end, it was that radio which did save his life — but not in the conventional way.

About 15 minutes after the avalanche, Smith was passing over in a helicopter when he noticed his co-worker was missing. He convinced the helicopter pilot to set him down to search for Etzel.

"I looked for a while and then noticed part of the antenna (of his radio) sticking out of the snow,” the 26-year-old told the Star Thursday afternoon.

Smith immediately began digging furiously through the snow.

"The first thing you feel is fear,” Smith said. "But once I started working, I don't remember feeling anything – I was just focused.”

After digging through a metre of snow, Smith was able to find Etzel's head.

He was unconscious.

"I wasn't sure how it was going to go,” Smith remembers. "He didn't look good.”

Despite the grim situation, Smith continued to dig and eventually was able to clear the heavy snow off of his co-worker's chest and back.

Etzel was eventually airlifted to the nursing station in Mayo. He has since made a full recovery.

"This young man's life was saved as a direct result of Trevor acting quickly and decisively, putting his own life at risk,” Commissioner Doug Phillips said in a statement.

"Trevor distinguished himself by acting with bravery and great strength of character in a very dangerous situation.”

The Commissioner's Award for Bravery recognizes individuals who have responded with great effort, at considerable personal risk in hazardous circumstances, to save or safeguard, or attempt to save or safeguard, the life of one or more persons.

"I'm not sure I deserve something like this,” Smith said. "But I am very humbled and grateful.”

Etzel, for one, disagrees with that statement.

"He totally deserves this, he saved my life, there is no one better to get this award.”

Saturday's event will take place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel.

By ASHLEY JOANNOU

Star Reporter