This goes along with the other death mentioned last month of a boarder from Worcester. A tree well is an area around a tree which is devoid of snow, while the surrounding area has very deep snow. It's a major hazard while skiing or boarding in the deep snow that often exists in treed areas out west, particularly in heavy snow years like this one. What can happen is you end up in there upside down, buried, can't tell which way is up, are covered in snow, no one can hear or see you and you suffocate.
It's been a deadly year out west for avvies and backcountry.
btw - on a lighter note (I hope) I head out to Utah Tuesday for some fun in the pow - have to be safe out there - pray for me! They're getting about 5 feet from a storm today and tomorrow.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1182463~Coroner__Snowboarder_may_have_suffocated_after_fall_at_Steamboat.html
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic
Jan 26, 11:27 PM EST
Coroner: Snowboarder may have suffocated after fall at
Steamboat
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- A 22-year-old
snowboarder from Massachusetts who died at Steamboat
Ski Area in Colroado may have suffocated after falling
head first into a tree well, Routt County Coroner Rob
Ryg said.
The victim of the accident Friday was identified as
Jared Daniel of Auburn, Mass.
A friend tried but was unable to pull Daniel out of
the tree well, an unstable hole or depression that can
develop around trees after a heavy snowfall.
The area where Daniel died was off an intermediate
trail called Snooze Bar. Others joined Daniel's friend
and got him out after about 15 minutes. But CPR failed
to revive him.
It was at least the seventh skiing or snowboarding
death in Colorado this season, including deaths in the
backcountry.
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