EGNELBERG, Switzerland – Most people who love skiing and snowboarding love skiing and snowboarding in powder, but once the depths start to build up it’s important to remember the potential hazards that are created. The most obvious and well known is avalanches, but tree wells and deep snow immersion can be equally as deadly.
These skiers just happened to pass by a snow-sunked individual while riding at Engelberg in Switzerland, immediately rushing to help dig him out. They first ensured the skier could breath before working to dig out the rest of his body.
Snow immersion suffocation can occur when a skier or snowboarder falls into a tree well or deep loose snow, usually head first. When this happens, they can become immobilized and trapped, sometimes leading to suffocation. 90% of people involved in Tree Well/ SIS hazard research experiments could not rescue themselves. As such, skiing or snowboarding with a friend or buddy and keeping them always in-sight is vital when skiing in deep snow and around trees.
