Happened to me years ago. I was a ranger working in a ski area and fell in a tree well upside down. Could not reach my bindings to release. Tough spot. By some miracle a beautiful blond came up, saw my predicament and helped me release the bindings. By the time a got out and back on my skis she was gone. I always considered it the time a beauty rescued a ranger in distress. True story.
I was wondering the same thing. I know a guy who ties a string to the step-on binding release so he doesn’t have to reach all the way down. I would think anything that gives you easier access to release the bindings could be helpful.
Turn your body as slowly as you can to try to turn yourself upright. Try to grab a branch or the tree and slowly work your way up the tree. As you move up, slowly rock your body to create space and to also make the snow a bit more compact thanks to your body heat and pressure. If you can’t pull up on the trunk or branches, keep pressing the snow flat around you and start to dig sideways, not up, as this will knock more snow down on top of you. The goal is to dig sideways to the edge of the well outside the branches of the tree where the snow is firmer and you have a better chance of getting out. Yell for help or call for help on your radio or cell phone if you can reach it.
Happened to me years ago. I was a ranger working in a ski area and fell in a tree well upside down. Could not reach my bindings to release. Tough spot. By some miracle a beautiful blond came up, saw my predicament and helped me release the bindings. By the time a got out and back on my skis she was gone. I always considered it the time a beauty rescued a ranger in distress. True story.
@BCA Has anyone assessed how StepOn bindings increase/decrease the difficulty for a immersed rider to disengage from a snowboard when in a treewell?
I was wondering the same thing. I know a guy who ties a string to the step-on binding release so he doesn’t have to reach all the way down. I would think anything that gives you easier access to release the bindings could be helpful.
How do you get out if you don't have a partner around?
Turn your body as slowly as you can to try to turn yourself upright. Try to grab a branch or the tree and slowly work your way up the tree. As you move up, slowly rock your body to create space and to also make the snow a bit more compact thanks to your body heat and pressure.
If you can’t pull up on the trunk or branches, keep pressing the snow flat around you and start to dig sideways, not up, as this will knock more snow down on top of you. The goal is to dig sideways to the edge of the well outside the branches of the tree where the snow is firmer and you have a better chance of getting out. Yell for help or call for help on your radio or cell phone if you can reach it.