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Tree Well Casualty

Tricia

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:(
 

Lorenzzo

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Does anybody know where (state) this happened?
So sad.
Mt. Ashland in Southern Oregon. Tragic and unlucky. In big years these traps are out there, particularly if there have been wind events which big years often have. A friend of mine fell in one at Targhee last week. He was skiing by himself in an unfrequented area. Fortunately for him he went in feet first. It took him over an hour to extract himself.
 

RJS

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This is so sad to hear.

Walker had been skiing with two other patrol members outside the Mt. Ashland Ski Area boundary on the south side of the mountain when he fell into a tree well and suffocated in the snow, deputies said...

Walker was the last of three ski patrollers descending a hill when the first two looked back and discovered Walker had fallen into a tree well, deputies said. The other members climbed uphill and dug Walker out, but he was not breathing, deputies said.

What's particularly awful is that it appears that he was in a group of three skiers (including himself) at the time, and he was the last of the three to go down the slope. I've always wondered: what happens if you're in a group, and you're the last one to go down, and something happens to you like falling in a tree well or hitting an object. How will your downhill partners know where you got hurt, or have enough time to hike back uphill and rescue you? :huh:
 

cantunamunch

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This is so sad to hear.



What's particularly awful is that it appears that he was in a group of three skiers (including himself) at the time, and he was the last of the three to go down the slope. I've always wondered: what happens if you're in a group, and you're the last one to go down, and something happens to you like falling in a tree well or hitting an object. How will your downhill partners know where you got hurt, or have enough time to hike back uphill and rescue you? :huh:


Having been in that exact situation, I can tell you - it was up to me to a) clear a breathing space b) find "up" - in this case it was behind the small of my back c) dig "up" to find daylight and d) yell and holler for approx. 45 minutes until someone made it above me.
 

Lorenzzo

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Having been in that exact situation, I can tell you - it was up to me to a) clear a breathing space b) find "up" - in this case it was behind the small of my back c) dig "up" to find daylight and d) yell and holler for approx. 45 minutes until someone made it above me.
Damn...where was this?
 

Stephen

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So sad to hear of things like this.
 

slowrider

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Had a friend last week go head first into one at Bachelor. Dug himself out and prayed. Stay safe.
 

Andy Mink

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what happens if you're in a group, and you're the last one to go down, and something happens to you like falling in a tree well or hitting an object.
We heard a race coach talking to some racer kids the other day at the lodge. They were going to be free skiing. He told them if they ducked into the trees to go one at a time. Ski a short distance, stop, and watch the second skier come down. Second skier goes past #1 a ways and stops. Lather, rinse, repeat. I know this may not work in all situations but it makes sense to me. You may lose your flow but you don't get left behind should something happen.
 

Bad Bob

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The dark side of a good snow year. Always a sad story.

RIP Johnny Walker.

Making no light of tragedies like this, there is a good side to tree wells. As a kid in PNW and Alaska, we were taught to use tree wells for shelter. If you were were lost in heavy woods in the winter, climb down into the well under a big old spruce and cover with branches for shelter (Kind of an instant snow cave. Have not heard this mentioned in a very long time, thought it might be worth mentioning.

Bad things can save you, depending on how they are used.
 

dbostedo

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How will your downhill partners know where you got hurt, or have enough time to hike back uphill and rescue you? :huh:

The other two were apparently close enough to climb back up. It doesn't say how long that took (to decide to climb, and then to do the climb), but it wasn't fast enough. Climbing back up without skis can be very slow, as can side-stepping or herringboning up with skis on. And it's got to be nerve-wracking waiting for the last person to come down and not seeing him.
 
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Sibhusky

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@TexasStout -- I think you were coming here soon? Tree wells are a huge issue at this resort. You really need to have trustworthy friends in the trees. If they are the "meet you at the lift" kind, you might as well be alone. Anyone who has tried postholing up a steep slope will tell you you don't want a guy who has to outski you along.
 

oldschoolskier

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@Tricia you had a good thread on tree well safety a while back, could you link it. If someone reads it and it prevents one death it’s done it job.

Heart goes out the the ones he left behind.
 
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TexasStout

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@TexasStout -- I think you were coming here soon? Tree wells are a huge issue at this resort. You really need to have trustworthy friends in the trees. If they are the "meet you at the lift" kind, you might as well be alone. Anyone who has tried postholing up a steep slope will tell you you don't want a guy who has to outski you along.
Thanks for the warning @Sibhusky. Yes, we're scheduled to arrive this Saturday evening, as a matter if fact.

I'll be sure to mention it to my ski buddies to make sure we keep track of each other when in the trees.
 

Tricia

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Andy Mink posted this in the Tahoe thread.
While we revel in the fantastic powder we've recently received, don't be sucked into (literally) complacency. I'm glad they found this man but sobered by how fast a good thing can go bad.

:(
 

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