Oregon Skier Falls Into Volcano Vent

A terrifying moment for a skier in Oregon: Caroline Sundbaum was skiing Mount Hood, an active volcano, when she suddenly felt as if someone had pulled a chair out from underneath her, she tells Good Morning America. She had fallen into a fumarole, or volcano vent, which was covered with snow. The 35-year-old says she was scared snow would fall in after her and suffocate her, but a quick-thinking and well-equipped fellow skier tossed her a rope and pulled her out. She "feels fine," though she did dislocate her shoulder during the Friday incident, she tells Fox News.

Fumaroles emit steam and gases, similar to geysers, and the fumes could have been toxic had Sundbaum been stuck down there longer. Experts say the vents can be hard to detect, but that they sometimes smell like rotten eggs due to the gases they're emitting. (More Mount Hood stories.)