Skier dies after falling into a tree well on Oregon mountain, resort officials say

A skier died after he was found unresponsive in a tree well on an Oregon mountain, resort officials told news outlets.

Birkan Uzun, a 28-year-old skier from Seattle, died Dec. 31 at Mt. Bachelor, a ski resort in Bend, Oregon, news outlets reported.

Ski patrol officials found Uzun unresponsive in a tree well on Dec. 30 and took him to the resort’s first-aid clinic, according to the Bend Bulletin. He was then taken to a medical center, the news outlet reported.

“Saturday afternoon, we learned that the skier passed away,” Leigh Capozzi, the resort’s spokeswoman, said in a statement to KTVZ. “Our entire team is heartbroken by our guest’s tragic passing and offer our deepest condolences and support to his family and friends.”

Uzun had previously worked as a software engineer at Amazon, according to Geek Wire, before joining Madrona Venture Group in Seattle last year.

“He loved life and was adventurous at a level that most of us just dream of,” Madrona Venture Group said in a statement on its website. “He dove fully into his many passions — including software programming and innovation, Turkish Cypriot culture, and mountaineering.”

A tree well is a pit near a tree trunk that gets covered by deep snow, according to New To Ski. Snow builds up near the tree, but the branches keep the snow from condensing.

“Hidden beneath the branches of snow covered trees are deep pockets of air that goes to the base of the trunk,” New To Ski reported. “This tunnel of space is in the shape of a well and it is completely obscured by the snow that has collected above.”

Tree wells are hard to spot, which can make them dangerous. Skiers and snowboarders can fall into the area and get covered in snow and suffocate, according to SnowBrains.

The odds of surviving a “deep snow immersion” are low, according to the National Ski Areas Association.

Skiers and snowboarders who fall into a tree well or are in a snow immersion should yell or whistle to get partners’ attention and try to keep their head above the surface.

“If you become immersed, make a space around your face and protect your airway — resist the urge to struggle,” the National Ski Areas Association said. “It could compromise your airspace and entrap you further.”

If someone in a skiing group goes down, the partner shouldn’t leave to get help. Instead, use a whistle, yell or call ski patrol, officials said. Immediately clear snow from the airway and don’t pull the victim out the way they fell in.

This story was originally published January 3, 2022 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Skier dies after falling into a tree well on Oregon mountain, resort officials say."