Skier barely survives burial in tree well

Most people who fall into tree wells suffocate in the snow that falls around them, so Chris Johnston considers himself lucky he survived such an accident.

A tree well is a depression in the snow around the base of a tree, often hidden by low branches and a thin snow cover. Snowboarders and skiers can fail to see them and, if they get too close, can tip in head first with the snow falling all around them. Statistics indicate 90 per cent do not survive.

Out of bounds thrilling and risky

In spite of many warnings, some skiers and snowboarders like to go off established trails. Chris Johnston was skiing out of bounds with friends at Whitewater Resort in the western province of British Columbia on February 21. He became separated from them and fell into a tree well. He was wearing a GoPro camera which recorded the accident.

‘I was breathing snow’

“I just remember [being] stopped, upside down, headfirst with snow all around me,” he said. “I was breathing in snow…There was a point at which I was very, very scared.”

Johnston said he calmed himself by mentally reviewing a video he watched years ago about tree well survival. He released the one ski that was still on, the other having released in the fall.

“I started throwing my gear out and then tried to use the tree to climb out,” he said.

‘A whole bunch of snow came down’

“I took a deep breath and reached up and released my other ski and was able to turn. A whole bunch of snow came down so I had to reclear.”

He then used his ski pole to poke a hole in the metre-deep snow above his head.

Johnston said he plans to stay close to his “ski buddies” the next time he hits the slopes.

Nine died in tree wells

The B.C. Coroners Service said nine people have suffocated in tree wells in the last five years. On February 23rd, 29-year-old Jonathan Unger died after falling into a tree well while snowboarding in the mountainous back country of Pemberton, British Columbia.