Tree well

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A tree well is a dangerous void or area of loose snow around the trunk of a tree which is surrounded by deep snow. A person, especially a skier or snowboarder, can easily fall into this well, possibly causing serious injury or death.

Contents 1 Formation 2 Hazard 3 Incidents 4 References

[edit] Formation

The branches of the tree shelter the area surrounding the tree trunk from snowfall. Thus a pocket of air or loose snow can form in the vicinity of the trunk. Tree wells are encountered in off-piste or ungroomed trails and on ungroomed piste boundaries. The risk of encountering a tree well is greatest during and immediately following a heavy snowstorm. Low hanging branches can further contribute to forming a tree well, as they efficiently shelter the area surrounding the trunk. Wells have been observed to be as deep as 20 feet.^[1] Wells can also occur near rocks and along streams.

[edit] Hazard

An unsuspecting skier or snowboarder can get trapped in a tree well, unable to free themselves. It is very difficult to get out of a tree well without assistance. In two experiments conducted in North America in which volunteers were temporarily placed in a tree well, 90% were unable to rescue themselves.^[1] Often the skier or snowboarder is injured during the incident, dislocating a limb or hitting his/her head, further decreasing chances of survival. Frequently the skier or snowboarder ends up in the well head first, complicating recovery efforts.

The classification for this type of fatality is a Non-Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Death (NARSID).^[1]

[edit] Incidents

In December 2007, a snowboarder at Mount Hood Meadows in Oregon suffocated fifteen minutes after falling head first into a tree well, despite efforts by three of his companions to free him. On December 22, 2007, at the grand opening of the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, an Edmonton ski instructor disappeared on the mountain's Jalapeño run. His body was found in a tree well three days later. During winter 2008, two skiers at Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado fell into tree wells and did not survive. One was a man in his mid-60s and the other was a man in his mid-20s. The younger man was unable to escape despite assistance from two friends. In February 2009, a 19-year-old female snowboarder died after falling into a tree well at Dodge Ridge Ski Resort in Pinecrest, California.

[edit] References