A Washington man has sadly died after going to a ski resort in Oregon. The man fell victim to the elements of the mountainside, getting buried in the snow.
Search and rescue crews found 34-year-old Benjamin Shelkey buried in the snow on the side of Mount Bachelor. According to a press release from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, authorities believe that a tree well to be the cause of his death. The incident happened on March 17. For those who don't know, tree wells are a hidden danger of hiking and skiing in the winter.
The snow fills in around the tree, forming a pocket of deep snow. I almost fell victim to one myself a few years in Vermont, losing a boot in the process. In this case, the Washington man went headfirst into the tree well, suffocating from all of the snow piled around him. Lieutenant Nathan Garibay, Special Services and SAR Coordinator, explained to People, "Somebody skis into a tree well, they can find themselves in a situation where they cannot rescue themselves." It's a truly terrifying and horrible way to die.
Washington Man Dies
Although he was still alive when found, the Washington man later passed away at the hospital from his injuries. Authorities confirm "the circumstances are consistent with snow immersion suffocation."
"On behalf of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and the Central Oregon community, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Benjamin Shelkey," Sheriff Kent van der Kamp said. "This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts are with those who knew and loved him."
Authorities that found him tried administering CPR to save the Washington man. But it took almost 20 minutes to free him from the snow.
"Tragedies like this remind us of the risks of outdoor recreation, and we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions when venturing into deep snow conditions," the sheriff's office said.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Garibay hopes that more people will learn from the tragedy involving the Washington man. Always ski with a partner or in a group.
"The big thing is that we really encourage people to be aware of conditions, tell people where they're going, ski with a partner, if possible, or ski in groups," Garibay noted. "That definitely allows, if you get yourself in a situation... somebody might be able to assist you, or witness the situation and be able to get help."
