I spent an hour in a tree well at Sunshine Village a few years ago. Fortunately I was upright, pressed against the tree trunk with my knees bent and the ski tails uparound my shoulders. Eventually I managed to release the bindings with my hands and extracated myself. I wasn't in danger of suffocating but I was bloody uncomfortable.
Edit. Didn't have a mobile with me either. End Edit.
It recently struck me that this is one situation where Recco Transponder thingies would be useful, where there is no immediate danger of suffocating, but a skier is incapacitated and hidden from sight.
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?
I've never seen tree-wells mentioned in Europe. I suppose we don't get enough of that really light powder.
I wasn't in danger of suffocating but I was bloody uncomfortable.
Spud9, that sounds terrifying. Were you on your own?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pam w, I was skiing with a group of others, but no one was nearby when I went into the tree well. They just assumed they'd missed me at some point on the mountain. no doubt they'd have raised the alarm when I didn't make it back to the car park after the lifts shut.
A few NARSID deaths the past week in the Tahoe area after epic storms.
Been badly in a treewell once, fortuntately flipped myself head up as I went in but still struggle against gravity to unclip skis then had to brace myself against trunk to climb out. Took well over 20 mins to extracate without a single passer by so I'd have been another to the tally.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I have only skied/boarded in the middle of trees on a handful of occasion, but had never realised the danger of tree wells...
Some scary stories here..
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yes, very scary stories - the buddy system used by heli-skiers should obviously be important for everyone in these circumstances.
I ski regularly in trees (I love it) but, except one holiday in Canada, only in Europe. Does it ever happen in Europe? I've never heard of it.
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.
I've had something similar in Alpe d'Huez. I was some way behind our group when I spotted them on the other side of a line of trees. They stopped, saw me and waited. I headed directly towards them aiming for the largest gap between the trees. As I got there I suddenly sank up to my waist in really soft powder and had to take my skis off and flail my way out - much to the amusement of the others!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
altis, you took your skis off? That should have made you sink in much more
I must say I've generally found snow amoung trees better than most because it is usually not wind affected and have been curious that I've never found the tree hole phenomenon in Europe or had guides warn of it. (The heli skiing guides in Canada rightly did warned us)
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
You can get tree wells in Europe as well, but not as common as in the US. My son was skiing St Foy a couple of seasons ago and the girl he was off piste with went down a rock well. Not good she bounced off the rock and the snow on the way down.
Just spotted this one about tree wells, not nice to watch
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.
livetoski, amazing - and sobering - video, thanks for posting.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
can someone please explain to me what it is/how it is formed etc, i dont get it
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ricklovesthepowder, Lots of snow such that lower branches of tree (or even complete smaller trees) are covered, as snowpack accumulates, the snow lying on branches creates significant voids in the snowpackwhich collapse with skier/boarder weight. Or snow drifting up against tree trunks without packing down underneath.
As well as the buddy system it is highly recommended to have a whistle on your zipper near your mouth. In my case my tumble was off a short rat run through the trees. I had a whistle which I hope I'd have been in a position to use but just don't know.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
livetoski wrote:
the girl he was off piste with went down a rock well. Not good she bounced off the rock and the snow on the way down.
Oh yes, of course I know rock wells. They are not only caused by overhangs but also the heating of the rock by the sun melting the adjacent snow, and the snow piled against the rock pealing away under its own weight leaving a gap. I've been briefly a bit stuck in one or two small ones - though not dangerously so.
Tree wells are simply caused by the tree branches shielding the area underneath from direct snow fall and shedding any snow outwards. Only some of the lightest snow drifts in to partially fill the hole, but leaving voids underneath.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
on a positive note (is there such a thing on snowheads- is Lizzard about) I bet the ski patrol were really chuffed. I would have been - made their season worthwhile.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ricklovesthepowder,
When you fall in you disturb the snowpack around the well and the branches of the tree so the snow falls in on top. The more you struggle the more snow that falls..
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?
Sh-iiiiiiiiii-eeeeettttt
Makes the few times me or my mates have been floundering in the occassional tree well look positively tame.
Worth watching the videos, and reading the comments.
Lots of lessons to be learned.
What I noticed most was...
(1) EVERYONE on the group should have a shovel ( not just one in five ! )
(2) Now I know why I ski with a whistle on my pack. Its not just posing ;=)
(3) reinforces the importance of the "ski-buddy" system. So there's always someone looking out for you. And you for them.
...
(3) ..and maybe I'll carry some rope with me too.
livetoski, video was very interesting - particularly that most of the party seem to stand around being a bit clueless but I've always suspcted shock or stress does that in avy situations. Couldn't quite work out who started whistling - the guy down the hole or someone else
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Tomahawk Tone wrote:
Sh-iiiiiiiiii-eeeeettttt
Makes the few times me or my mates have been floundering in the occassional tree well look positively tame.
Worth watching the videos, and reading the comments.
Lots of lessons to be learned.
What I noticed most was...
(1) EVERYONE on the group should have a shovel ( not just one in five ! )
(2) Now I know why I ski with a whistle on my pack. Its not just posing ;=)
(3) reinforces the importance of the "ski-buddy" system. So there's always someone looking out for you. And you for them.
...
(3) ..and maybe I'll carry some rope with me too.
Sobering.
enuf of that gloom n doom. Let's PARRRRRRTY
From prior practice of being head first deep in a tree well, neither 1), 2), or 3) (the first 3)) help all that much.
1) See 3).
2) I have a whistle attached to my season pass. Trying find and blow it (or even thinking about doing so) was not high on my list.
3) Despite only being a little bit up the hill from the rest of the group I was with, deep powder made it pretty near impossible for them to get to me even though they could see the tree wiggling I was stuck in.
More useful points I found (and I've practiced this more than once!! ) are:
- don't go in in the first place. Choose a line that doesn't take you into the tree if you fall.
- Getting your skis off makes things considerably easier, it helps dramatically if you've still got a pole and can work out how to get to your bindings when you are hanging upside down and can't see them, perhaps a trial run is needed
- Don't panic, you are probably going to be okay so calmly squash the snow down above/around you
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Were you on your own?
