British Columbia — In terms of biggest fears amongst skiers and riders, getting stuck in a tree is near the top of nightmare scenarios. But what is it actually like to be in that situation?
In a post from the skiing subreddit, user ij1723 detailed his experience with a tree well during the 2025-26 season.
Last January, the individual went on a guided backcountry tour in the Selkirks of British Columbia. While skiing down a flat runout, the individual’s ski caught on a tree branch, causing the skier to swan-dive into a tree well. Comparing it to the first few seconds of a car crash, the skier struggled to figure out what to do. The person tried to wiggle but sank deeper into it, struggling to breathe. Luckily, the crash was witnessed by the group, and the skier was dug out about 8 minutes after initially falling in. The champ even had the courage to ski again a couple of hours later.
Commenters were gripped by the post, with it triggering PTSD for some readers. A few commentators shared their own gripping stories, including this skier:
“Appreciate you sharing this. I’m not sure there is much to take away from it (other than the airbag too) other than to really be aware that it happens, and that we should in fact follow the advice we’ve all read.
We had about 8’ of fresh light snow in Tahoe from a storm this past season. I split off from my small group and headed into a small patch of steep trees on my own. Untouched snow! My ski caught on a submerged tree and I tipped over sideways into a tree well. Every move I made, my upper body tipped more into the well. I just starfished and tried to stay mostly still. By pure luck a stranger I couldn’t see heard me struggle and called out. I ended up getting helped by a 65 year old Eagle Scout. I don’t know if he saved my life, but it was definitely because of him that I was hauled out. I was stuck for about 15 minutes, and took another 15 to get up. Deep snow is no joke for anyone.”
These stories show how jarring it can be mentally and physically to be in a tree well. The video below from Backcountry Access is a good guide to avoid this type of situation.
Image/Video Credits: Backcountry Access
