A skier died after he was found unresponsive in a tree well at Mount Bachelor, OR, on Friday.
The man has been identified as Birkan Uzun, a 28-year-old skier from Seattle.
Ski patrol officials found Uzun unresponsive in a tree well on Thursday and took him to the resort’s first-aid clinic, according to the Bend Bulletin. He was then taken to a medical center, where he sadly passed the following day.
“Saturday afternoon, we learned that the skier passed away. Our entire team is heartbroken by our guest’s tragic passing and offer our deepest condolences and support to his family and friends.”
– Leigh Capozzi, the resort’s spokeswoman, told KTVZ
Powder days are great, one of the many reasons we ski and ride. Whether it’s 6″ or 16″, cutting fresh tracks and taking face shots make everything worthwhile.
The rare storms, like the one that just hit the west coast, where we count snowfall in feet, not inches, will have us talking about it for years. But big snow brings with it very real big problems. Firstly, avalanche risk. Avalanche danger in the Sierra is rated as ‘extreme’ right now, and avalanche terrain is best avoided. Another problem is ‘snow immersion suffocation (SIS).
Tree well and deep snow suffocation is a serious problem in the Western USA and Canada.
Incidents occur with deep snow accumulations and tree well immersions, where a skier or snowboarder falls into an area of deep, unconsolidated snow and becomes immobilized.
Since 2001, there have been more snow immersion deaths in California than in any other state.
A tree well is a void or depression that forms around the base of a tree and most likely under the branches that hang from those trees, disguising the void. This void may contain a mix of low hanging branches, loose snow, and air. While skiing or snowboarding, it is very difficult to determine if a tree well exists, so skiers and riders should treat every tree the same.
Skiers and snowboarders must understand the risks of deep snow, educate themselves, and strictly adhere to safety recommendations, including always skiing or riding within sight of a partner, especially when off a designated trail, within the trees, or a gladed area.
Key Safety Tips for Resort Guests
• Each skier or snowboarder controls his or her own level of risk. Only you can prevent this type of accident from happening. Always ski or ride with a partner and within close sight. To minimize your risk, you must know how to travel safely with your partner(s) in these ungroomed deep-snow areas.
• Always stay in visual contact so that your partner(s) can see you if you fall. Visual contact means stopping and watching your partner descend at all times, then proceeding downhill while he or she watches you at all times. It does no good if your partner is already waiting for you in the lift line while still descending the slope.
• Stay close enough to either pull or dig out. If you have any questions about what “close enough” to assist someone in a tree well is, hold your breath while reading this. The amount of time before your partner needs air may be how much time you have to pull or dig the person out of danger. Other factors such as creating an air pocket or the entrapped skier’s position may also affect this critical timeframe.
• Remember, if you lose visual contact with your partner, you could lose your friend. It is important to know that most people who have died in deep snow or tree well accidents had been skiing or riding with a partner at the time of their accident. Unfortunately, none of these partners was in immediate visual contact, so they could not help in a timely manner.
• Use appropriate equipment to minimize risks. When skiing or snowboarding in high-risk areas for deep snow or tree wells, wear a helmet, enter the ski patrol’s phone number into your smartphone, and carry a whistle in case you need to get someone’s attention if you become entrapped in deep snow or a tree well.
• If you still have questions, contact your ski patrol. Ask your ski patrol what the current risks and conditions are with deep snow at your local ski area before you explore risky terrain such as tree areas, glades, or off-trail terrain where deep snow and tree well risks exist.
Follow these helpful tips to stay safe on the Mountain. All the recent snowfall in California and the west, along with more in the forecast, makes for dangerous conditions out there, so always take necessary precautions and never venture out alone.
I would never have believed that this is possible until it happened to me. Twice now. Here is what I did. Hanging upside down, you probably cannot reach all of the way up to your skis to release them. Do not panic. Try to get the lower ski to kick off the upper ski’s rear binding. Do you best to free one leg from the skis. The second will be easier. Wether you get your legs free or not, try to push off the ground with your hands or ski poles. Probably it is too deep, so your only remaining option is to hug the tree’s trunk and gradually ascend upright. It is exhausting and not easy. Do not wait for others. They will have no idea where you are or that you are in trouble and will not be able to hear you. Maybe a whistle or radio would help, but among thousands of trees, they would not know which one.