Snowboard bindings not to blame
A report on Snowboard Club UK states that a Swiss company (Nidecker) was found not to be at fault for the 2002 death of a young woman on Mount Bachelor.
The trial centered on the snowboard’s bindings. Unlike ski bindings, which automatically release in a fall to prevent injury, snowboard bindings do not release and were, in this case, alleged to have contributed to the tragedy - an allegation rejected by the jury.
The article is a sombre reminder of one of the less-appreciated dangers of skiing or snowboarding through or near trees; deep snow will form “wells” around the trunks which can be a lethal trap for skiers and boarders alike.
We’ve reported on NARSIDs (Non Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Deaths) previously and would urge all mountain users to read this article on Physician and Sports Medicine and to be aware of the dangers when tree skiing.
