 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stuarth, Stuart, yes, it's a well known danger in Canada, but thankfully it's not such a big issue in Europe, most of the time.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Heard that this wasn't even a big tree, just a little one that effectively made a sink-hole. Not sure whether that was the case, but goes to show it's not just the big trees you've got to leave a little room and it's not just out there in the backcountry wilderness (Ratfink is smack in the middle of Whistler mountain, right beside the green zone)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| stuarth, Stuart, yes, it's a well known danger in Canada, but thankfully it's not such a big issue in Europe, most of the time. |
Though saying that a guy got helicoptered unconscious off my local hill last season after spending 30 mins in one (marked ungroomed ski route) - and that was pretty early in the season before the snowpack was even that deep!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I once wound up in a tree well and my teenage lad promptly followed me there. We were in no danger, though, as we both entered feet first and were able to help each other out.
It bought home to me the danger of glades (my absolute favourite terrain), though. I was helpless in the well and only extricated myself by climbing on top of my son. Similarly, he would never have escaped if I'd been unable to pull him out. This was a deserted part of the mountain that saw no more than a couple of skiers per hour; if I'd been foolish enough to ski alone, I might not be alive to type this post.
The rules are simple, and, if you love the trees, are much more important than wearing a helmet (which I do):
- Always ski with a buddy.
- Always know where your buddy is, or s/he could die while you're trying to work out which tree has swallowed them. Stick together as if you're connected by velcro.
- Don't ski too close to the trees (durr!) or under dense foliage.
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I had a bit of a nightmare last season at Sunshine. Me and 4 friends start a series of glades off goatseye; I ended up separated and the trees got tighter and tighter and I got more and more paniccy. I ended up taking my skis off and walking out! Luckily it wasn't too far and I could walk on tracked turns, but the trees were way too tight for me to ski. They were in turn all on back the piste and about to get patrol
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I was skiing through trees above Vaujanay with a party some years ago. The snow was a sort of heavy powder, not really fluffy, but quite pleasant. As I was going round a tree, the tail of my outside ski dropped right down and then stuck down. The ski did not release. I broke my Achilles' tendon (the incident inspired my snowHeads name). I managed to get myself out of the fall - and, not withstanding the injury, ski down to the rest of my party, who were waiting for me. No one had seen me fall.
Clearly there was some sort of hole beneath the snow surface - though whether there was a tree well, I don't know.
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philwig,
suspect you are right about the buddy system. would have thought transceivers should be worn where tree wells are a significant risk?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Never even heard of tree wells until now and I couldn't believe the size of those holes. I'm going to keep clear of those big scary trees from now on.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I fell while skiing in Whistler a few years ago and as I tried to get up, kept sliding towards a tree well. Luckily, I was skiing closely with a group led by an instructor and the instructor walked back to help me. Very scary though! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Wear a whistle on your zip so you can potentially use it without your hands. Try really hard not to go down head first in trees if you do fall.
Ratfink is super tame terrain so that more than anything makes it scary.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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philwig, Yep same for skis, besides the snow is softer nearer the tree so you'll be wanting your riding implement there not your head. Did once get tripped by a stump on an innocuous traverse in Revy and gravity did the rest. Fortunately concertina'd myself as I went in so I was head up. Managed with a bit of effort to release my skis and a further 20 minutes of bracing against the trunk and Macguyvering ski leverage to pull myself out like a very beached whale.
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FAQ
