Video: Snowboader Rescued From Tree Well
A snowboarder was saved after being buried headfirst in a deep pile of packed snow.
The dramatic rescue was recorded by body-camera footage as Francis Zuber skied down the Mt. Baker Ski Area in northwestern Washington on March 3. Zuber was skiing behind a snowboarder, zig-zagging between the trees, when he got caught in deep powder. He quickly made his way out and got back on his way. However, he noticed a snowboard sticking up out of the snow.
As Zuber got closer, he removed his skis and dug his way over to the snowboarder. He tried to determine how the snowboarder was angled and quickly began digging into the snow with his gloved hands. After several nerve-racking moments, he finally reached the snowboarder’s head, deep in the snow, and uncovered his face. Zuber continued to clear the snow to allow the man to breathe. The trapped snowboarder eventually began moving his arms in an attempt to help free himself.
Zuber reassured the man that he had him and that they would both catch their breath for a moment before he helped him dig out. He then assembled an emergency shovel to help him dig the snowboarder out completely. The avid skier posted the terrifying video on Instagram warning people about tree wells, also known as spruce traps, which occur when the space under a tree does not get the same amount of snow as surrounding areas, causing a sinkhole.
The US Department of Agriculture Forest Service advises that snow sporters always bring a partner, warning that most injuries occur during a crash or fall into a tree.
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