A-Basin ski instructor dies in Steamboat tree well
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Killclimbz
New member
Or just don't fall.
Yeah, tree wells are scary.
Something happened here with this one, the snow depth at Steamboat just isn't there to make a tree well deadly by itself. I am guessing she had a collision that left her unconscious or in a state where she couldn't of helped herself. Regardless the end result is that she died. So sad. RIP.
Yeah, tree wells are scary.
Something happened here with this one, the snow depth at Steamboat just isn't there to make a tree well deadly by itself. I am guessing she had a collision that left her unconscious or in a state where she couldn't of helped herself. Regardless the end result is that she died. So sad. RIP.
EMSC
Well-known member
rfarren":2ljpc9im said:
Usually that is the issue... That the snow is deep enough that when you push in any direction, even down, that you push against air, and nothing firm. You'd have to have some minimum depth of fluffy snow to push down toward the ground and not get any resistance or compaction.
That said, Steamboat has enough snow now to have all of their terrain open, and while small and short they do have a section of true double diamond (where this incident occurred). And since Steamboat reports base depth and snow from the top of the Gondi, it would be even deeper up top where this occurred. Say maybe in the 4 foot deep range for depth - that would be plenty enough given the fluffy nature of the 'Boats snow this time of year.
Killclimbz
New member
My experience with tree wells around here is they have to be over 5 ft deep for you to be in deep poo poo. If you are able to plant your hand into firm ground, they are pretty easy to get out of. Maybe the four foot mark is enough and I am not accounting for this girls stature either. The tree wells and trees in general are not like what you see in the PNW, PDX, or California. Tree well deaths do happen, but we'll go several seasons with out one. It's not because people aren't falling into them, but that they are relatively easier to get out of than their west coast counter parts. I just think this girl probably bonked her head before going into the well. We'll probably never know what truly happened.
I hope we get that info. I'm inclined to agree with killclimbz regarding the characteristics of regional trees and snowpacks. But Steamboat is a rather unique area for its region. No one else is even close in the amount of tree skiing available IMHO.
Bluebird Day
New member
I once pulled a snow boarder out of a tree well at JH Wy. He was upright; but stuck, cold and scared. I had to get out of my skis, climb into the well and release his boots from the board. The thing about the trees is that you don't see people until you are right next to them. We were way out on Saratoga and he may have spent the night in that well, or worse.
Ruled a suffocation:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010 ... ffocation/
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010 ... ffocation/
That goes into my Top-3 list of ways I don't want to die.
Killclimbz
New member
Damn, so sad. I just read in another article about this in the Denver Post that Colorado ranks third in tree well deaths in North America. Which kind of surprised me, but then again this state does have the most skier visits too, so I think the numbers help bolster that stat. Scary thoughts. Stay safe out there everyone.
Whatever year I tried to round up that info, California and B.C. had ~6.5 million skier visits and Colorado had 11 million. And as noted before, Steamboat is going to have a disproportionate share of these incidents because its tree skiing is the most extensive in the state.
On the more common cause of skier deaths, high speed collision into fixed object, I read one year that Sun Valley had 10% of those with 1% of skier visits. In both cases it's the nature of the area and what kind of skiing is done there.
On the more common cause of skier deaths, high speed collision into fixed object, I read one year that Sun Valley had 10% of those with 1% of skier visits. In both cases it's the nature of the area and what kind of skiing is done there.
rfarren
New member
Tony Crocker":2d7r7ld9 said:
I'm not surprised. I've skied there twice and both times I had the same impression: "this mountain would be great if they actually got snow." I found the conditions pretty scratchy and hard both times. And one of those years was a year when ultimately Sun Valley got around 290 inches, which meant it was well above average.
Killclimbz":2d7r7ld9 said:
I too am a bit shocked by that stat. I didn't think Colorado got enough snow to make tree-wells that dangerous. I guess I'm wrong. I wonder, is the area where the instructor died, an are with mostly aspens, or was it pine trees?
Very sad.
According the the articles posted above, the area she was skiing in is called Christmas Tree Bowl. It has been something like 12 years since I last skied Steamboat, but I remember really enjoying those chutes. The name of the bowl fits the surrounding forest, which is predominately evergreen.
Having just glanced at Steamboat's interactive trail map, I also have to call
: "sustained slope gradients in excess of 50% with pitches to 80%."
rfarren":2depo829 said:
According the the articles posted above, the area she was skiing in is called Christmas Tree Bowl. It has been something like 12 years since I last skied Steamboat, but I remember really enjoying those chutes. The name of the bowl fits the surrounding forest, which is predominately evergreen.
Having just glanced at Steamboat's interactive trail map, I also have to call
: "sustained slope gradients in excess of 50% with pitches to 80%."
rfarren":5nucw36w said:
Conifers. Aspens don't make tree wells -- you need a low branch apron such as that of a conifer tree as depicted in this graphic from the Steamboat Pilot & Today, and aspens don't have low branch aprons:
Here's a photo I took of the area Jan. 6, 2001 -- the area they were skiing was somewhere near the far left edge of the photo:
Marc_C
Active member
Just to be certain...those are percentage gradients and not degrees, correct? (A 100% gradient = 45 degrees. I'm too lazy to do the math but an 80% grade is around 36-ish degrees - more or less standard issue black diamond steepness).flyover":fm64fb0q said:Having just glanced at Steamboat's interactive trail map, I also have to call
Killclimbz
New member
I've never seen tree wells in a pine tree forest only in the Evergreens.
Tony, Steamboat is certainly famous for it's tree skiing, but there is just as much tree skiing at several if Colorado resorts. Beaver Creek, Winterpark, and Vail come to mind as having as much if not more tree skiing as Steamboat. I think you have a point, I'm just missing what you are driving at. Maybe it's that Steamboat's tree skiing is more popular than the other resorts (with the exception of maybe Beaver Creek)?
Tony, Steamboat is certainly famous for it's tree skiing, but there is just as much tree skiing at several if Colorado resorts. Beaver Creek, Winterpark, and Vail come to mind as having as much if not more tree skiing as Steamboat. I think you have a point, I'm just missing what you are driving at. Maybe it's that Steamboat's tree skiing is more popular than the other resorts (with the exception of maybe Beaver Creek)?