A death on December 28, 2003 at Mammoth Mountain in California is a reminder that the phenomenon known as "non-avalanche-related snow immersion death" (NARSID) continues to be a mounting fatality pattern in skiing and snowboarding, particularly in western North America.
Southern Californian Brian Daniels, 26, was pronounced dead at Mammoth Hospital after apparently he went off a run into deep snow and fell face first. Daniels was discovered by other skiers who noticed the bottom of his snowboard facing up in the snow in relatively gentle terrain.
The passersby dug him out, but Daniels was unconscious, non-responsive and not breathing, according to a statement issued by Pam Murphy, the resort's senior vice president of Public Relations. A patroller on the scene told Telemarktips.com that ski patrol personnel tried unsuccessfully to revive the victim with CPR and that there were no signs of apparent trauma. It is believed Daniels suffocated in the deep powder snow.
As an emerging pattern, NARSID fatalities have only recently been recognized as a serious and mounting threat to skiers and snowboarders riding both in and out of bounds. Experts who have studied these kinds of accidents report that prevention is key, "In my view, self-rescue is nearly impossible once a skier or snowboarder becomes inverted in a deep-powder tree well or snowbank, wrote Dr. Robert Cadman in an article published in The Physician and Sports Medicine - VOL 27 - NO. 13 - December 1999.
In a controlled experiment during the winter of 1998-1999, volunteer skiers and snowboarders were placed inverted into a simulated tree well packed with snow. None of the 6 skiers and 4 snowboarders could rescue themselves.
The alpine skiers who were able to remove their skis by using their feet to undo their bindings only fell deeper into the hole. The snowboarders could not unfasten their boards. "We found that most ski clothing acts like a funnel when inverted. All of the volunteers complained of snow falling onto their bare torsos, suggesting that hypothermia could be a major complicating factor, " says Cadman.
At this writing the risk of NARSID accidents remains out of the general skiing population's consciousness. Cadman and others have speculated that because the skiing fatality rate is low relative to other modes of transportation, most skiers and boarders are not generally aware of many of the risks involved, including NARSIDs. "Because fatalities are infrequent, skiers are often unaware of (the risks) unless the deaths involve high-profile individuals," says Cadman.
Dr. Cadman also advises, "The most important prevention step is resisting the urge to ski through the trees during extreme powder conditions, no matter how inviting the untracked powder looks. But if the powder is too appealing and you find yourself skiing on timbered slopes: Buddy up with another (rider) and stay within sight of your partner. That means stopping and watching your partner descend, then proceeding downhill while he or she watches you.
Carry the same personal rescue gear as backcountry skiers: an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe, and whistle. And remove your pole straps. Trapped skiers have difficulty removing the pole straps, which can hamper efforts to escape or clear an air space to breathe."
Despite all precautions if you find yourself falling headfirst into deep powder and/or into a tree well Cadman has this additional advice, "Do everything you can to avoid going down: grab branches, hug the tree, or anything to stay above the surface. If you go down, resist the urge to struggle violently. The more you struggle, the more snow will fall into the well and compact around you. Also, your skis or snowboard may knock snow off the branches."
"Instead of panicking, try first to make a breathing space around your face. Then move your body carefully in a rocking manner to hollow out the snow and give you space and air. Hopefully, your partner will have seen what happened and will come to your rescue within minutes. If not, experts advise staying calm while waiting for assistance. Survival chances are excellent if you maintain your air space. Over time, heat generated by your body, combined with your rocking motions, will compact the snow, and you may be able to work your way out."
To put all this in perspective it should be noted that the well documented fatality rate for skiers is only 0.2 to 0.7 deaths per million skier-days. By far most deaths result from collision with either a tree or rock inside a ski area, or by avalanche-related asphyxiation occurring outside of ski area boundaries.
Still, NARSID risk is real and people who seek out the freshies would be well advised to be aware of ways to avoid the sad fate of Long Beach California's Brian Daniels. RIP.
For a comprehensive discussion about NARSID read Tree Well and Deep Snow Immersion Safety. It could save your life.