Safety Topic: Tree Wells - Page 4 - Snowboarding Forum

dreampow · 11-22-2011, 07:16 AM

Impressive kit their Snowolf. Most impressive.
You board with that knife strapped to your arm? would get arrested here in Japan.
We don't have tree wells where I ride because the trees are different, even so going off piste solo is something I have stopped doing. As was mentioned staying in visual and verbal contact all the while is the way to go. Even if you just hit a tree or took a bad fall you could be in real trouble by yourself.

Stay safe people.

AIRider · 11-22-2011, 03:37 PM

Off to wall mart to buy rope, knife, radio and fiiiire... Lol talk about a rape kit.

ClevelandSB · 11-22-2011, 07:23 PM

Don't judge me too harshly on this because I am from Ohio and have only ridden anywhere big once (Vail), but do you (snowolf) really carry all of that stuff when you're riding in an area where ski patrol and cats roam?
when I was at vail the farthest I could get away from all the people and still make it to a lift at the end of the run without a huge hike were places like this

but it seemed extremely safe and nonthreatening. Am I just extremely ignorant or are you riding in areas at resorts that are out of bounds?
edit: you can see the out of bounds rope in the photo above. I was in bounds in this pic and didn't go out because if I did I wouldn't have made it to the lift at the bottom

Pickle · 11-22-2011, 07:41 PM

snowwolf, should i be carrying a pack like this all the time? i usually just board with my friends, on highly populated, groomed slopes.

NWBoarder · 11-22-2011, 09:02 PM

A pack like Snowolfs is not necessary every time you ride. However, out here in PNW, a lot of BC is accessed through gates at the resorts. Also, the snowpack and the terrain out here in the PNW is quite a bit different than what you would get further east. Anyway, being prepared is never a bad thing, and if you like to ride with a pack, then I see no sense in not carrying everything you need to be safe and sound overnight, in the woods, during winter.

Mr. Polonia · 11-27-2011, 07:29 AM

deep snow is def a bitch to get out of. I remember when i went catboarding in BC, it was my first time ever riding in deep snow...20-30ft untouched of it for that matter. Our guides told us to avoid riding too close to trees because of potential tree wells. I remember that every time i fell, i mustve had prob a foot of snow over me, granted i fell on my back and it was nothing serious, but the sheer weight of only a couple of inches over you was a really bitch to get out. It took a lot of energy not only to stand back up, but also to wipe off all that weight from your top sheet just to stay afloat once again.

Wrathfudelity i can only imagine how how hard it mustve been for you to unbuckle ur bindings and try to "swim" out of it

EDIT: Now that i just saw that link, it looks exactly like the type of place and terrain where i went catboarding

TYrice93 · 11-28-2011, 01:25 AM

Can you guys explain to me what exactly a tree well is? That video didn't work on my phone

TYrice93 · 11-28-2011, 05:46 PM

Wow, that sounds pretty scary. I've rode in between the trees a few times, but never really payed attention to tree wells.. Even though I don't go near the trees very much, I'll have to remember that next time. I aways see the mini ring around the bottom of trees where there's less snow, but didnt really know about the covered tree wells. Thanks Snowolf!

KIRKRIDER · 11-30-2011, 01:07 PM

Got a taste of it last season, inbound in Kirkwood after a huge 3 day dump. After an ample and fast turn to the left I did another to get back on the right, and ended up on a small steep hill, that was closed off from the rest of the trail, I ended up there by mistake and found my self on this unstable and loaded steep mini avalanche waiting to happen. I didn't want to keep traversing, so I tracked back stepped off the board and started to climb up the slope, only to find myself buried in neck deep snow at each step. Using the board as a tool I was trying to climb up, instead I was digging a wall of snow in front of me. That made me realize how much snow I was dealing with and what would have happened if it moved on me. I was at that point maybe 5 feet away and under the boundary. Chair lift in sight.
Getting back up was exhausting and a wake up call. Same day, later, cutting trough a tree section where the wind blown snow was 3 - 6 feet higher than anywhere else, I found myself stuck chest deep just riding over it. It wasn't a tree well but just very very light and uncompressed powder that gave way immediately. Even if you don't get buried getting out makes you realize what you're dealing with. That was again INBOUND, in a resort after a massive 3 day 10 feet dump. Be careful out there.

davidj · 12-19-2011, 04:15 PM

I'm going to be riding Beaver Creek and Vail by the end of the week. Was planning on doing some tree riding well within resort boundaries - between runs, under the lift... you know. Currently the base is really thin, about 20 inches or so, with no more than a few inches forecast for the week. Should I be worried about tree wells?

11-22-2011, 03:37 PM	#32 (permalink)
AIRider Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 564	Off to wall mart to buy rope, knife, radio and fiiiire... Lol talk about a rape kit. __________________ Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

11-27-2011, 07:29 AM	#36 (permalink)
Mr. Polonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Brooklyn, Empire State Posts: 1,093	deep snow is def a bitch to get out of. I remember when i went catboarding in BC, it was my first time ever riding in deep snow...20-30ft untouched of it for that matter. Our guides told us to avoid riding too close to trees because of potential tree wells. I remember that every time i fell, i mustve had prob a foot of snow over me, granted i fell on my back and it was nothing serious, but the sheer weight of only a couple of inches over you was a really bitch to get out. It took a lot of energy not only to stand back up, but also to wipe off all that weight from your top sheet just to stay afloat once again. Wrathfudelity i can only imagine how how hard it mustve been for you to unbuckle ur bindings and try to "swim" out of it EDIT: Now that i just saw that link, it looks exactly like the type of place and terrain where i went catboarding __________________ Without me, my board is useless. Without my board, I am useless Last edited by Mr. Polonia; 11-27-2011 at 07:40 AM.

11-30-2011, 01:07 PM	#39 (permalink)
KIRKRIDER Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 2,212	Got a taste of it last season, inbound in Kirkwood after a huge 3 day dump. After an ample and fast turn to the left I did another to get back on the right, and ended up on a small steep hill, that was closed off from the rest of the trail, I ended up there by mistake and found my self on this unstable and loaded steep mini avalanche waiting to happen. I didn't want to keep traversing, so I tracked back stepped off the board and started to climb up the slope, only to find myself buried in neck deep snow at each step. Using the board as a tool I was trying to climb up, instead I was digging a wall of snow in front of me. That made me realize how much snow I was dealing with and what would have happened if it moved on me. I was at that point maybe 5 feet away and under the boundary. Chair lift in sight. Getting back up was exhausting and a wake up call. Same day, later, cutting trough a tree section where the wind blown snow was 3 - 6 feet higher than anywhere else, I found myself stuck chest deep just riding over it. It wasn't a tree well but just very very light and uncompressed powder that gave way immediately. Even if you don't get buried getting out makes you realize what you're dealing with. That was again INBOUND, in a resort after a massive 3 day 10 feet dump. Be careful out there. __________________ 2012/13 -12- Kirkwood days Arbor A-Frame 158 2009-10 Jeremy Jones Hovercraft 156, 2011/12 Burton Driver-X K2-Cinch-CTX Subaru WRX 06

12-19-2011, 04:15 PM	#40 (permalink)
davidj Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 325	I'm going to be riding Beaver Creek and Vail by the end of the week. Was planning on doing some tree riding well within resort boundaries - between runs, under the lift... you know. Currently the base is really thin, about 20 inches or so, with no more than a few inches forecast for the week. Should I be worried about tree wells? __________________ Equal opportunity offender.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

11-22-2011, 07:16 AM	#31 (permalink)
dreampow Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kyoto Japan Posts: 1,056	Impressive kit their Snowolf. Most impressive. You board with that knife strapped to your arm? would get arrested here in Japan. We don't have tree wells where I ride because the trees are different, even so going off piste solo is something I have stopped doing. As was mentioned staying in visual and verbal contact all the while is the way to go. Even if you just hit a tree or took a bad fall you could be in real trouble by yourself. Stay safe people.

11-22-2011, 07:23 PM	#33 (permalink)
ClevelandSB Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 106	Don't judge me too harshly on this because I am from Ohio and have only ridden anywhere big once (Vail), but do you (snowolf) really carry all of that stuff when you're riding in an area where ski patrol and cats roam? when I was at vail the farthest I could get away from all the people and still make it to a lift at the end of the run without a huge hike were places like this but it seemed extremely safe and nonthreatening. Am I just extremely ignorant or are you riding in areas at resorts that are out of bounds? edit: you can see the out of bounds rope in the photo above. I was in bounds in this pic and didn't go out because if I did I wouldn't have made it to the lift at the bottom

11-22-2011, 07:41 PM	#34 (permalink)
Pickle Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 40	snowwolf, should i be carrying a pack like this all the time? i usually just board with my friends, on highly populated, groomed slopes.

11-28-2011, 01:25 AM	#37 (permalink)
TYrice93 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 24	Can you guys explain to me what exactly a tree well is? That video didn't work on my phone

11-28-2011, 05:46 PM	#38 (permalink)
TYrice93 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 24	Wow, that sounds pretty scary. I've rode in between the trees a few times, but never really payed attention to tree wells.. Even though I don't go near the trees very much, I'll have to remember that next time. I aways see the mini ring around the bottom of trees where there's less snow, but didnt really know about the covered tree wells. Thanks Snowolf!