Tree well
Encyclopedia
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 ski
er or snowboard
er, can easily fall into this well, possibly causing serious injury or death.
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. Wells can also occur near rocks and along streams.
in which volunteers were temporarily placed in a tree well, 90% were unable to rescue themselves. 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).
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.
In December 2009, a student from the University of Colorado died after falling into a tree well following a heavy snow at Wolf Creek. He was skiing alone.
In January 2010, a 23-year-old female ski instructor was found dead in a tree well in Colorado. She was a children's ski instructor at the Arapahoe Basin
ski and snowboard area, but was skiing the double black diamond run in Steamboat. Apparently she became separated from her friends during an afternoon excursion and was found dead early the following morning.
On February 27, 2010, a 43-year old experienced snowboarder fell head first into a tree well near chair 12 at Mammoth Mountain, CA, and apparently asphyxiated after being unable to right herself or release her boots.
On Dec. 29, 2010, 16-year-old German exchange student Niclas Waeschle was discovered unconscious in a tree well in an off-piste area near the T-Bar 2 surface lift on The Big Mountain, in Whitefish, Montana
. He died on Jan. 2 after being taken off life support.
On December 30, 2010, the body of a missing snowboader was found in the backcountry near Alpine Meadows Ski Resort in the Tahoe, California area. 25-year-old Shawnte Willis was last seen snowboarding with her boyfriend and friends Tuesday afternoon near the boundary of Alpine Meadows on an advanced slope. She was found by a search helicopter around 9 a.m. in a tree well, and officials say she may have crashed into the tree.
On January 8, 2011, a missing snowboader was found buried in a tree well in an off-piste area near the T-Bar 2 lift on The Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana
. The victim, Scott Allen Meyer of Kalispell, had been snowboarding alone but was at the resort with friends, who were unable to locate or contact him after 1:30-2pm. Meyer was reported missing at 5 pm by his friends, and the Big Mountain Ski Patrol organized a search with their patrollers while North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead County Search and Rescue, Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol, Flathead Mountain Rescue Team and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office responded, finding Meyer around 7:30 pm, and transporting him to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
On March 21, 2011, experienced snowboarder James Drummond fell into a tree well at Mt. Shasta Ski Park. He was recording his friends' ski run on a portable helmet cam when the incident occurred. James managed to get to his phone when his wife called and told her to call the ski patrol and give them his number. Ski patrol then called him within the first 30 mins of James being trapped. His knowledge of the area helped the ski patrol find and rescue him.
On March 1, 2011, Paul Melby of Lakewood, WA disappeared at Crystal Mountain ski resort in northern Washington. His remains were found on June 15. He is believed by resort personnel to have fallen into a tree well and suffocated.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
which is surrounded by deep snow. A person, especially a ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
er or snowboard
Snowboard
Snowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user...
er, can easily fall into this well, possibly causing serious injury or death.
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-pistePiste
A piste is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports. The term is European, from the French for trail or track, synonymous with trail, slope, or groomed run in North America....
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. Wells can also occur near rocks and along streams.
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 AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in which volunteers were temporarily placed in a tree well, 90% were unable to rescue themselves. 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).
Incidents
In December 2007, a snowboarder at Mount Hood Meadows in OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
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
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a ski resort on Mount Mackenzie, just outside Revelstoke, British Columbia in Canada.When complete, the resort will offer about 20 km² of skiable terrain and a vertical drop of 1,845 meters , with 21 lifts and 115 ski and snowboard trails. Revelstoke now offers...
, an Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
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
Steamboat Ski Resort
Steamboat Ski Area is a major ski area in northwestern Colorado, operated by the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation in Steamboat Springs. It is located on Mount Werner, a mountain in the Park Range in the Routt National Forest. The ski area first opened on January 12, 1963.The ski area has 165...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
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.
In December 2009, a student from the University of Colorado died after falling into a tree well following a heavy snow at Wolf Creek. He was skiing alone.
In January 2010, a 23-year-old female ski instructor was found dead in a tree well in Colorado. She was a children's ski instructor at the Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin is a ski area for alpine skiing high in White River National Forest of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Arapahoe Basin is also known for its especially long season—often staying open until early July, whereas most other northern ski areas close in early May...
ski and snowboard area, but was skiing the double black diamond run in Steamboat. Apparently she became separated from her friends during an afternoon excursion and was found dead early the following morning.
On February 27, 2010, a 43-year old experienced snowboarder fell head first into a tree well near chair 12 at Mammoth Mountain, CA, and apparently asphyxiated after being unable to right herself or release her boots.
On Dec. 29, 2010, 16-year-old German exchange student Niclas Waeschle was discovered unconscious in a tree well in an off-piste area near the T-Bar 2 surface lift on The Big Mountain, in Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
. He died on Jan. 2 after being taken off life support.
On December 30, 2010, the body of a missing snowboader was found in the backcountry near Alpine Meadows Ski Resort in the Tahoe, California area. 25-year-old Shawnte Willis was last seen snowboarding with her boyfriend and friends Tuesday afternoon near the boundary of Alpine Meadows on an advanced slope. She was found by a search helicopter around 9 a.m. in a tree well, and officials say she may have crashed into the tree.
On January 8, 2011, a missing snowboader was found buried in a tree well in an off-piste area near the T-Bar 2 lift on The Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
. The victim, Scott Allen Meyer of Kalispell, had been snowboarding alone but was at the resort with friends, who were unable to locate or contact him after 1:30-2pm. Meyer was reported missing at 5 pm by his friends, and the Big Mountain Ski Patrol organized a search with their patrollers while North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead County Search and Rescue, Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol, Flathead Mountain Rescue Team and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office responded, finding Meyer around 7:30 pm, and transporting him to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
On March 21, 2011, experienced snowboarder James Drummond fell into a tree well at Mt. Shasta Ski Park. He was recording his friends' ski run on a portable helmet cam when the incident occurred. James managed to get to his phone when his wife called and told her to call the ski patrol and give them his number. Ski patrol then called him within the first 30 mins of James being trapped. His knowledge of the area helped the ski patrol find and rescue him.
On March 1, 2011, Paul Melby of Lakewood, WA disappeared at Crystal Mountain ski resort in northern Washington. His remains were found on June 15. He is believed by resort personnel to have fallen into a tree well and suffocated.