Staff and regulars at Banff Sunshine Village are reeling after a 47-year-old skier died over the weekend in what officials describe as a deep snow immersion incident just off a beginner run, sharpening concern about a little understood but deadly winter hazard at one of Canada’s best-known mountain resorts.

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Skier Dies After Fall Into Deep Snow Near Banff Avenue Run

Alberta RCMP and resort officials say the woman from Toronto died on Saturday December 27, 2025, after she fell into a pocket of deep, loose snow near Banff Avenue, a green-rated ski run at Banff Sunshine Village in Banff National Park.

The incident occurred in a treed area adjacent to the groomed trail, where recent storms had piled up metres of unconsolidated snow.

Police report that emergency crews, including an air ambulance and local paramedics, were dispatched to the resort shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time following calls about an injured skier.

The woman was located in an area of deep snow off the side of the run and was unresponsive when first responders arrived. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts on the mountain, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

RCMP have said the death is not considered suspicious and that the exact medical cause has yet to be confirmed.

Early indications from both police and resort officials point to deep snow immersion, sometimes also referred to as non-avalanche snow immersion, a type of accident that can quickly turn fatal even for experienced skiers on relatively gentle terrain.

Resort Employees Stunned By Fatal Deep Snow Immersion

Within the resort community, the fatality has been deeply felt. Many staff members at Sunshine Village, from lift operators and instructors to patrollers and front-desk workers, have spent the early peak of the holiday season celebrating what has been one of the snowiest Decembers in the resort’s 100-year history.

The sudden loss of a guest in conditions typically viewed as ideal has left many shaken.

Sunshine Village spokesperson Kendra Scurfield said bystanders saw the woman fall into a treed area with deep snow alongside the Banff Avenue run and immediately called for help.

The resort’s medic and ski patrol team was dispatched around 3 p.m. and reached the location within minutes. Staff attempted CPR and other life-saving measures for more than two hours on the side of the run before a doctor pronounced the skier dead.

In a statement, Scurfield offered condolences to the woman’s family and friends and acknowledged the emotional toll the incident has taken on the resort’s employees.

She noted that such accidents are rare at Sunshine Village, which draws hundreds of thousands of skiers and snowboarders each winter, but that when they do occur they are particularly traumatic for the teams who respond.

What Investigators Know So Far About the Accident

Authorities say the woman had been skiing on Banff Avenue, a long, relatively gentle green run that funnels many guests toward the base area, when she moved off the groomed portion of the trail and into a treed zone where the snowpack was significantly deeper and less consolidated.

Witnesses reported seeing her fall and disappear into the soft snow, prompting immediate attempts to dig her out before ski patrol arrived.

Ski patrol and medics arrived within an estimated three minutes of being alerted, according to the resort. When they reached the skier, she was unconscious and partially buried in deep, loose snow.

Rescuers cleared snow from around her head and torso and began intensive resuscitation efforts that continued for more than two hours while additional emergency crews assembled on the mountain.

Alberta RCMP have confirmed that both the provincial air ambulance service and ground paramedics were mobilized and were prepared to airlift the skier to a Calgary hospital if her condition stabilized.

She never regained consciousness and was formally declared deceased at the resort, and the air ambulance departed without a patient. Investigators have indicated that there is no evidence of criminality or foul play and that the file remains a tragic accident.

Understanding Deep Snow Immersion and Tree Well Hazards

Deep snow immersion incidents occur when a skier or snowboarder falls into pockets of unconsolidated snow and becomes trapped, unable to free themselves or keep their airway clear.

These pockets can form in many places, including depressions beside groomed runs, terrain irregularities, or more commonly around the base of trees where branches prevent snow from compacting evenly, creating what is known as a tree well.

Safety experts warn that once a person is inverted or deeply submerged in soft snow, even a relatively small fall can become life-threatening within minutes. The snow can pack in around the head and chest, restricting breathing and movement.

Victims often cannot create enough space to clear their airway, and struggling may in fact cause them to sink deeper or bring more snow down over their face.

Non-avalanche snow immersion deaths are relatively uncommon compared to other mountain hazards, but they are a known risk in regions that experience heavy snowfall, particularly during storm cycles and immediately after large dumps of new snow.

Sunshine Village’s snow safety team recently reported receiving more than two and a half metres of snow in December alone, making this month one of the snowiest on record at the resort and contributing to deep, unconsolidated drifts on and off the runs.

Record Snowfall at Banff Sunshine Raises Safety Questions

The incident has unfolded against the backdrop of what resort officials have described as a historic early season.

Sunshine Village’s snow safety staff have said December 2025 has delivered the second-deepest December snowfall in the resort’s recorded history, with nearly 270 centimeters of snow falling over a matter of weeks.

The deep powder has drawn strong holiday crowds, including visitors from across Canada and abroad.

For many guests, deep snow is part of the appeal of a Rocky Mountain ski holiday. Yet the same conditions that thrill powder seekers can create less visible risks for less experienced visitors who are unfamiliar with mountain hazards or unused to skiing off the groomed trail surface.

As snow stacks up along the edges of runs and between trees, it can form voids and soft pockets that collapse under a skier’s weight.

In the wake of the death, some industry observers and local skiers have questioned whether current guest education and signage about deep snow immersion are sufficient on beginner and intermediate terrain.

While avalanche warnings and rope lines are now familiar features for many mountain visitors, information about tree wells and deep snow immersion remains less prominent, even though these hazards can exist within resort boundaries on otherwise benign-looking slopes.

Resort Response and Support for Staff and Guests

Sunshine Village has said it is providing support to employees affected by the incident, including members of the ski patrol and medical teams who worked on the attempted rescue.

Serious on-hill emergencies are emotionally draining for front-line staff, who are trained for crises but are often themselves skiers and riders embedded in the same tight-knit mountain community.

Resort officials have not announced any immediate operational changes following the fatality, but they have emphasized the importance of skiing with a partner, staying within sightlines on busy trails, and respecting all closures and warnings.

The resort routinely posts snow and hazard updates, and staff on the ground are often guests’ first point of contact for safety information during high-snow periods.

As the holiday period continues and New Year’s crowds arrive, staff say they will be reminding guests about tree line hazards, soft snow along run edges, and the benefits of staying centered on groomed terrain, especially for those who are unfamiliar with deep snow or who are skiing with children.

Mountain personnel are also encouraging visitors to seek out safety briefings or ask questions at ticket counters and rental shops if they are unsure how to navigate current conditions.

Deep Snow Immersion Risk: What Travelers Should Know

For travelers planning ski trips to Banff and other high-snow regions, deep snow immersion is an important but often overlooked component of trip planning.

Experts advise that guests, particularly those coming from lower-snow regions or skiing for the first time in the Rockies, take time to understand how deep snow behaves and what to do if they or a partner fall into a soft pocket.

Key recommendations from mountain safety professionals include skiing with a partner who keeps you in sight, especially near trees or along the sides of runs where snow may be deeper and less compact.

Visitors are advised to avoid stopping just below or directly beside trees and to resist the temptation to explore ungroomed snow in treed areas unless they are experienced and equipped, and even then to proceed cautiously.

Travel planners also suggest that guests factor safety education into their itinerary, whether by booking a lesson that includes hazard awareness or by attending resort-led safety talks if available.

First-time visitors may benefit from starting the day on central groomed runs, talking with patrollers or instructors about current conditions, and gradually exploring more varied terrain once they have a better sense for how deep the snow is and where hazards may be lurking.

Impact on Banff’s Winter Tourism Reputation

Banff Sunshine Village is one of three major ski areas serving the town of Banff and the surrounding national park, and plays a central role in the region’s winter tourism economy.

Each season, the resort attracts families, international visitors, and expert skiers who build holidays around the promise of reliable snow, dramatic peaks, and well-maintained lifts and infrastructure.

While fatal incidents on groomed or near-groomed terrain are rare, they do reverberate across the town and its tourism sector. Local businesses generally rely on the perception that Banff’s ski areas are not only spectacular but also safe environments where risks are managed and communicated.

A highly publicized death related to deep snow immersion can raise questions among prospective visitors who may be unfamiliar with mountain risks and who are weighing where to book their next ski holiday.

Tourism operators in Banff typically respond to such events by reaffirming their commitment to safety, highlighting the training of guides and instructors, and encouraging open conversation about risk management on the slopes.

For many in the community, the tragedy at Sunshine Village underscores the need to ensure that safety messaging keeps pace with changing snow patterns and increasingly variable winter weather, which can influence how and where hazards develop on the mountain.

FAQ

Q1: What exactly is deep snow immersion?
Deep snow immersion is a type of accident in which a skier or snowboarder falls into very soft, unconsolidated snow, often near trees or along the sides of runs, and becomes trapped or buried so that they cannot free themselves or keep their airway clear.

Q2: Where at Banff Sunshine Village did this incident occur?
Officials say the woman fell into deep snow in a treed area just off Banff Avenue, a green-rated ski run accessed from the lower mountain and commonly used by beginners and intermediates returning toward the base.

Q3: How quickly did ski patrol and medics respond?
According to the resort, Sunshine Village’s medic and ski patrol team reached the scene within about three minutes of being alerted and immediately began life-saving efforts, including CPR, that continued for more than two hours.

Q4: Was avalanche danger a factor in this death?
Authorities and resort officials have described the incident as a deep snow immersion rather than an avalanche. The hazard involved a pocket of loose, deep snow in a treed area beside a run, not a slab release or moving avalanche debris.

Q5: How common are deep snow immersion accidents at ski resorts?
Such incidents are relatively rare compared with other on-hill injuries, but they are a recognized risk in areas that receive heavy snowfall. Each winter, a small number of deep snow or tree well immersion fatalities are reported across North American ski areas.

Q6: What conditions at Sunshine Village may have contributed to the hazard?
December 2025 has been one of the snowiest Decembers on record at the resort, with close to three meters of new snow reported. Prolonged storm cycles and rapid snow accumulation can create deep, unconsolidated pockets near trees and along run edges.

Q7: What can skiers and snowboarders do to reduce their risk?
Safety experts recommend skiing with a partner who keeps you in sight, avoiding falls near the bases of trees, steering clear of very soft, deep snow beside groomed runs if you are inexperienced, and seeking local advice about conditions from patrol or instructors before venturing off the groomed surface.

Q8: Is it still safe for beginners to ski at Banff Sunshine Village after this incident?
Resort officials maintain that such accidents are extremely uncommon and that green and blue runs remain appropriate for beginners who follow safety guidance, stay on marked trails, and remain within their ability level. However, guests are urged to be especially cautious near trees and deep snow when conditions are unusually snowy.

Q9: Are there specific warning signs about tree wells and deep snow on the mountain?
Most large resorts, including Sunshine Village, use a mix of signage, snow reports, and staff communication to highlight current hazards. Skiers are encouraged to read all posted warnings, listen to on-site announcements, and ask patrollers or instructors if they have questions about tree wells or deep snow immersion risks.

Q10: How might this tragedy influence future safety practices at ski destinations?
The death is likely to prompt renewed discussion within the ski industry about how to better communicate deep snow and tree well dangers, especially on beginner and intermediate terrain, and may lead to expanded education campaigns, revised signage, and more structured safety briefings for guests during periods of exceptional snowfall.