Snowboarder found dead on a run in Whistler
So sad!
A male snowboarder has been found dead Wednesday on Blackcomb’s 7th Heaven ski run.
A skier going down the run discovered the body of the snowboarder upside down in a tree well at about 11 a.m., said Whistler RCMP Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair.
No name has been released.
“The skier saw the snowboard on the snow . . . so he hiked about 10 metres in the deep snow and discovered there was actually a person inverted in the tree well,” said LeClair.
After first attempting to pull the snowboarder out, the skier hiked another 25 metres up the hill and alerted other.
A group of skiers and snowboarders then removed the man, who was unconscious and not breathing.
He was found well within the bounds of the skiing area open to the public.
The snowboarder was wearing a helmet but was travelling alone.
It appears his death came by asphyxiation, said LeClair.
Far out! That’s horrible 
Tragic news. Very sad.
So scary… stay safe between the trees! Always ride with a mate - I’ve had a few close calls!!
So scary… stay safe between the trees! Always ride with a mate - I’ve had a few close calls!!
Yep it is such a reminder that we are not invincible.
So scary… stay safe between the trees! Always ride with a mate - I’ve had a few close calls!!
This is a MUST!!!!!
Terrible news!!!!!
Terrible terrible news. I studied a lot about Canada years ago when I had an exchange teacher and she back then couldn’t stress enough to stay away from tree wells.
I can’t even imagine how terrifying that must have been for the poor guy
Sure is a reminder to play it safe….
R.I.P
geez thats devo,,, poor bloke!!! even though i had the pricks I always ride with mates (warren and fatima)
Don’t you mean HATE dickhead!
Very sad. Always ride in the trees with your homies.
If you’re alone, just don’t go in the trees.
Stay safe peeps
Very sad news.
After my encounter with a tree well I will always say ride with friends in the trees, never alone. So sad.
Even when riding with friends you should be able to see each other. Often times you ride with friends you lost them somewhere in the trees and didn’t see them again until the end of the run.
I agree, skip. That’s why I try to stay in contact aurally. I often hoot out to my friends and wait till I hear something back. The truth is it’s really hard to stay in visual contact when riding through the trees; you’re all looking for fresh lines, riding in different areas, and stopping in different areas.
I think it’s really important to make sure everyone gets out safely. If that means waiting at the bottom for five minutes and calling their phone to make sure they got out alright, well that’s what needs to be done (you know I’ve called you a few times when I’ve lost contact).
It’s also super important to know what to do if worst case scenario happens. The most important thing to do is remain calm and not struggle. Seriously don’t move and make extremely small movements if you have to (to get to a phone for example). Stay calm and wait for help.
I’d also highly recommend riding with a whistle attached to your jacket. Although I haven’t done this recently, it’s been on my mind for a while. It’s good practice to have a whistle attached to the outside of your jacket in a very accessible spot. It’s much easier for someone to hear a whistle than your voice calling out for help and it will also save you energy.
This is a very sad situation and it serves as a reminder to all of us to stay safe in the trees.
@rider: Yepp, you definitely called me a few times when I lost you. Ya riding a whistler is a really good idea. One of my CASI group member always has a whistle attached to his jacket.