So, are tree wells an issue in the Northeast now?

[deadheadskier]

No. We don't have the giant everygreen trees needed to create the problem IMO. 2000-2001 was a record winter in the North and it wasn't an issue then. I don't see it as an issue now.

Got stuck in a tree well at Crotched today. :lol:

 

[fbrissette]

They can be a problem anywhere with enough snow and evergreen. They are especially a problem in the backcountry where snow is never compacted by skiers around them.

My wife and friends tried pulling a guy out of a tree well at Tremblant 15+ years ago. The guy was on an easy traverse, lost control and ended up head down in a tree well, 5 feet of the trail. The guy was big and heavy, they could not take him out and by the time the ski patrols got there, the guy was dead. No joke.

In the Gaspé peninsula, you can literally tour on snow accumulated on top of 10' trees. Can be quite frightening when your pole goes through and you realize you're on top of trees.

 

[billski]

Got stuck upside down in one at Mt Ellen a few years back. I managed to dig out but it took a while.

Upside down halfway busted through the snow and ice on top of a stream at Magic is still my #1 upside down ski fail though.

Ditto here. More an inconvenience and never a life-threatening event. I do get pissed at myself when it happens as I'm always thinking of the good skiing I'm missing while I'm struggling to upright myself!

 

[MadMadWorld]

Had a serious close call skiing off the backside of Sunshine Village. The bottom just fell out of where I had stopped and I was standing on the edge of a 6-7 ft deep well. Scary ass shit

 

[from_the_NEK]

I partially fell in one today skiing some NH back country. 40-50" of completely unconsolidated snow in the fir zone above 3500'. I got too close to a small fir and hooked my ski under a buried branch which spun me around and head first into the adjacent larger fir. As I was falling, was able to throw my arms out and keep myself on top of the snow and branches for the most part. My feet and skis were uphill. I managed to release my skis and grab a branch and pull myself out. My skiing partner was nearby but I was able to tell him as should be able to self extricate. It took me less than 10 minutes, but it is an exhausting process. Fun times

 

[jimmywilson69]

Not a snow well story, but an indicative of how deep the snow pack is. I was at Stowe last weekend, doing some bush whacking when I took a branch to the face and fell backwards. I tried to push myself up with my poles and I was never able to hit solid ground or a solid snow layer with my pole and arm extended all the way into the snow pack. I had to shimmy out to a spot that was skier packed to be able to stand up. I would've loved to see a video of that maneuver.

 

[dlague]

I was skiing with Kleetus at Jay a few years ago and I fell into one. Not even a ton of fresh snow. They're out there for sure.

2 or three years ago, Jay Peak for a 51" dump over a three day period (the season with no snow) and if you did not remain upright you sunk. My wife leaned a little to far forward and bit it in one of the glades. I was with her and took may skis off and that was a mistake, waist deep powder is hard to move around in. I was panicking because she was in head first but managed to get herself turned around. We both laughed about it once everything was OK.

 

[Puck it]

My front yard yesterday as I was trudging around the sIde yard to snow take roof. No joke.

 

[C-Rex]

My front yard yesterday as I was trudging around the sIde yard to snow take roof. No joke.

I used my snowshoes when I raked my roof yesterday. Worked like a charm!

 

[Scruffy]

I partially fell in one today skiing some NH back country. 40-50" of completely unconsolidated snow in the fir zone above 3500'. I got too close to a small fir and hooked my ski under a buried branch which spun me around and head first into the adjacent larger fir. As I was falling, was able to throw my arms out and keep myself on top of the snow and branches for the most part. My feet and skis were uphill. I managed to release my skis and grab a branch and pull myself out. My skiing partner was nearby but I was able to tell him as should be able to self extricate. It took me less than 10 minutes, but it is an exhausting process. Fun times

That could have just a s easily broken bad for you. That's one of the reasons they say, not to ski alone off piste.

The biggest problem with getting upside down in a tree well with a lot of deep soft snow, and a lot of snow still on the branches above, is your skis are typically caught on the branches while you dangle in the well. You often can't release your bindings in that position. The more you struggle to release your bindings or get the skis unstuck from the branches, the more snow on the branches above comes down and suffocates you. I wonder if the Knee binding would help in that situation.

 

[benski]

That could have just a s easily broken bad for you. That's one of the reasons they say, not to ski alone off piste.

The biggest problem with getting upside down in a tree well with a lot of deep soft snow, and a lot of snow still on the branches above, is your skis are typically caught on the branches while you dangle in the well. You often can't release your bindings in that position. The more you struggle to release your bindings or get the skis unstuck from the branches, the more snow on the branches above comes down and suffocates you. I wonder if the Knee binding would help in that situation.

I got caught in paradise woods upside down around the time I ended up in a tree well. I was stuck there until Howiet took my ski off. No tree well but it was steep.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[x10003q]

This link has a lot of information about tree wells. They are a serious problem out West during normal snow years. They can be a problem in the East, too. Take a moment to read the link. The person you save might be yourself.
http://www.deepsnowsafety.org/index.php/

 

[Nick]

My wife and friends tried pulling a guy out of a tree well at Tremblant 15+ years ago. The guy was on an easy traverse, lost control and ended up head down in a tree well, 5 feet of the trail. The guy was big and heavy, they could not take him out and by the time the ski patrols got there, the guy was dead. No joke.

I recall you saying this story before. That's freaking horrible man. I don't know why but I have this morbid fascination with tree wells like black holes or getting eaten by a shark. It just seems like such a horrible way to go.

 

[Nick]

This link has a lot of information about tree wells. They are a serious problem out West during normal snow years. They can be a problem in the East, too. Take a moment to read the link. The person you save might be yourself.
http://www.deepsnowsafety.org/index.php/

Thanks for sharing that!

 

[fbrissette]

I recall you saying this story before. That's freaking horrible man. I don't know why but I have this morbid fascination with tree wells like black holes or getting eaten by a shark. It just seems like such a horrible way to go.

My wife still dreams about this. Needless to say she is more afraid of tree wells than avalanches.

 

[Edd]

My wife and friends tried pulling a guy out of a tree well at Tremblant 15+ years ago. The guy was on an easy traverse, lost control and ended up head down in a tree well, 5 feet of the trail. The guy was big and heavy, they could not take him out and by the time the ski patrols got there, the guy was dead. No joke.

That's an insane story, dude. Quebec is looking like a likely trip for me this season based on snow in the east. Are you guys getting decent accumulations up there like New England?

 

[machski]

Treewells not a problem outside the resorts up here in Maine....
The accumulation has gotten windblown solidified(aka Sierra Cement) up here so much that an ice axe and crampons could work without any difficulty...
Fwiw...from experience tekweezle isn't exaggerating. Not this winter but have wandered off of a groomer or two @Sunday River, back in the 1990s, only to sink to the hips...

Not sure where you've been in Maine, but I sunk to my chest this past weekend at Sunday River. Not quite a tree well, but that was with skis on far far right in Poppy Fields. Deep untracked soft snow still is out there in Maine, not all windblown. Just depends on aspect angle and tree protection from the wind.

 

[skiMEbike]

I've only been out west once to ski...I seriously had no idea this type of problem even existed. Reading the responses & links has been both educating & humbling. It's got me thinking (even if it's for a second) if I should ever venture into the woods again.