 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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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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Tree wells are unfortunately very dangerous. A friend died nearly two years ago in one at Whitefish. When I looked into the stats after his death I was horrified; I can't but help wonder if there should be better signing.
In Canada we had terrible news two weeks ago when a 9 yr old girl died after an accident at Nakiska. They believe she skied into a tree. It was very sad.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Tragic.
It seems that Kelsey died under the busiest lift in the resort alongside the busiest run in the resort. It shows the danger of tree wells - a skier can disappear into the void almost without trace in a few seconds.
If you love to ski the forest, make sure you read about tree wells before you go. It might sound OTT, but I give my lads an annual air-hostess style talk on the subject before every ski trip.
So sad.
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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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That is so sad, tree wells are very dangerous, and so easy to get yourself into.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What are the safety tips when skiing areas where ski wells are possible? I'm guessing have a partner keeping an eye on you. How close can you get to the trees before it becomes iffy?
Bit less relevant for the skiing we do in Europe (though i guess it's possible with enough snow) but thinking of doing North America at some point.
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In addition to the question from @belette, I noted that in the second story the skier's companions returned to the top of the run to look for him. Is that considered the right thing to do, or (given the context of a member of the party going missing during a run through trees) should one initially alert the ski-patrol, before going back to help search?
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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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If you want to know more, you might want to have a look at www.deepsnowsafety.org
If you're in an area where there is a risk, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself and the rest of your party to the dangers.
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@belette, I tell the boys five simple rules:
1. Never ski alone in trees. Ever. Not even one simple, short cut-through.
2. Always keep your partner in sight. If you fall behind, yell at the person in front to slow down.
3. If you're in front, make sure you know where the previous skier is. Look behind or, more fun, tell them to whoop as they bounce through the turns and use your ears.
4. Never go ahead by a larger distance than you can comfortably walk uphill.
5. Never ski close to a tree. Stick to the compacted snow or, if there's been a fresh dump, stick to the mid-point between trees.
The problem is that a tree well can swallow up a skier in seconds with little trace showing above ground. There are hundreds of trees in a forest; if you don't know where your buddy was last seen, you may not find them before they die.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Very sad news  Friend in JH told me about it, seems Kelsey was friend of a friend.
Jonny Jones, sensible rules, we always whoop and shout when in trees, and look at the gaps.
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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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Definitely a prevention is better than cure situation, if you go in alone you're most likely goosed. There's a good video on line of a lad going into a well you get some impression of how fcuked he would have been alone.
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@Richard_Sideways, great link, thanks - that answered all my questions and more.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Got stuck in a tree well in Courchevel many years ago, scary as f€7k...........
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lots of signs everywhere in JH about treewell dangers but as I'm currently doing a fair bit of tree skiing on my own at the moment this has made me somewhat nervous I have to say
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I learnt that deaths are more likely to happen late morning as the lines get pushed closer to the trees; and that even if with a partner, any separation can mean it takes too long to walk back up if its too powdery.
Main thing is to stay away from the trees and ski in the middle
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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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Another tree well death from Mt washington- a 15 yr old snowboarder. Statistically they do seem to come in years, depending on the snow pack
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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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I had a nasty experience tumbling into the well of a large, slightly overhanging, boulder. It's not only when tree-skiing that you need to keep your wits about you.
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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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