The area on Blackcomb where the tragic accident occured (Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Heartbreaking news today out of Whistler as a young woman was found dead in a tree well on Blackcomb mountain. According to Pique News, she was skiing with her husband in the 7th Heaven zone but failed to show up at the end of the run. Her husband reported her missing and a member of the public found her 30 minutes later. Despite ski patrol, a doctor, a paramedic, and nurse practitioner present, all attempts to revive her were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials have yet to name her but she was identified as Sarah Prunier, “a long-time snow school instructor.”
Whistler and the rest of Western North America has been inundated with constant snowfall for nearly two weeks. Whistler Blackcomb has reportedly seen 107″ this month, and it’s only half over. While this is music to the ears of many, with the good comes the bad. With nearly nine feet falling in two weeks the hazards increase exponentially.
Tree wells are a devious sort. The snow collecting around the sides of the tree can pile up significantly as the snow falls off their branches. But since the snow doesn’t collect around the trunk, a massive depression forms. The more snow, the deeper the well. What’s even worse is that when someone falls into it,the surrounding snow will often fall in as well making things even more complicated – especially if you have skis or a board attached to your feet.
Our sincere condolences go out to the woman’s family and the Whistler community. This is another reminder to always ski/ride within shouting distance of someone. Even in-bounds we need to be mindful of life-threatening hazards, especially when the snow is as deep as it is right now.
For more information on tree well safety, check this.
This story was updated Wednesday at 10:20 am PST.
