SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ski-tree-well-headfirst

Why can a tree well be dangerous?

A fall headfirst into loose snow can trap you and make breathing hard.

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  1. The snow is always icy
  2. It hides ski lifts
  3. You can get trapped upside down and may suffocate ✔

Why: Loose snow fills in around you as you fall, and you may not be able to move or breathe.

Huh, didn't know that: Deaths from this are called Snow Immersion Suffocation, or SIS.

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What do you use to catch an Arctic hare? A hare net!
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References

Answer: You can get trapped upside down and may suffocate. Loose snow fills in around you as you fall, and you may not be able to move or breathe.

  1. Colorado Ski Country USA: Tree Well and Deep Snow Safety www.coloradoski.com/safety/tree-well-safety
    usually headfirst, into a tree well or deep, loose snow, becomes immobilized
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. PNSAA: Tree Well and Snow Immersion Suffocation pnsaa.org/safety/tree-well-snow-immersion-suffocation-sis
    Deaths resulting from these kinds of accidents are referred to as a SIS
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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