Calgary skier dies in tree-well accident

A Calgary oil executive was found dead Sunday in a tree well at Whitefish Mountain Resort under circumstances similar to another fatality on Big Mountain in early January.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Thomas Podivinsky, 48, of Calgary. 

Podivinsky was skiing with a friend on the north side of the mountain when they became separated at about 12:30 p.m. When Podivinsky failed to meet up with a group of people as planned, he was reported missing at about 1 p.m.

Ski patrollers soon found him upside-down in a tree well — a hollowed area of loose snow at the base of a tree that is surrounded by deeper, densely packed snow.

Attempts to resuscitate Podivinsky were unsuccessful.

Podivinsky was the chief geophysicist at Athabasca Oil Corp.

His younger brother Edi Podivinsky won a bronze medal in alpine skiing in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Edi Podivinsky finished third in the downhill race won by gold medalist Tommy Moe of Whitefish.

“Skiing was his passion. It was his sport,” Thomas Podivinsky’s father, Edward Podivinsky, told the Toronto Star.

The elder Podivinsky told the Star that both brothers learned to ski in Edmonton. 

Tom made the provincial ski team while his younger brother became a member of the national team and stayed on it for 13 years.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” said a statement issued Monday by Whitefish Mountain Resort. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they cope through this difficult time.”

The incident is an unfortunate reminder that tree wells are an inherent risk, the statement reads. 

“We encourage our guests to take extra caution when skiing in the trees, ski with a partner and call ski patrol immediately if someone is missing,” the resort statement continues. “We will continue to help our guests understand the risks and encourage educating themselves on the subject.”

On Jan. 11, a 54-year-old California man and his son were skiing on the back side of Big Mountain when they became separated. The son returned to the area where he last saw his father and found him with his skis sticking out from a tree well.

Previous tree-well deaths occurred on Big Mountain in 1978, 1979, 1990 and 2010. 

One of the most notable was in 1979 when Forest Service silviculturist and noted outdoor photographer Danny On died in a tree well. The Danny On Memorial Trail is named after him.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.