Robert Harrington, 58, was wearing helmet, found by passing skier, DCSO says
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 58-year-old frequent Bend skier died at Mt. Bachelor Tuesday afternoon after falling into a tree well and suffocating – a tragic incident of the kind that has claimed several lives over the years at the Central Oregon resort and elsewhere, prompting numerous safety reminders when the deep-snow danger rises.
Shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol received a report of an unresponsive male resort guest in the far West Bowls area off Northwest Express, resort Director of Marketing and Communications Lauren Burke said.
Emergency personnel and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies responded shortly after 2 p.m. to the report of the unresponsive man in the West Bowls area, Lieutenant Mike Sundberg said.
Sundberg said another skier who was passing by found the man, identified as Robert Douglas Harrington, in a tree well and was first to begin performing life-saving techniques, including CPR.
Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol and Bend Fire & Rescue medics continued emergency medical care while Harrington was taken by snowmobile to the onsite medical facility at the West Village Ski Patrol room, officials said.
Resuscitation efforts proved unsuccessful, and Harrington was pronounced deceased at 3:12 p.m., Burke and Sundberg said.
“Mr. Harrington was an avid skier and was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident,” Sundberg said in Wednesday’s update. He had accessed the Northwest Express lift and was discovered unresponsive in a tree well by a citizen about 30 minutes later.
Harrington “was found to be suffering from the effects of snow immersion suffocation,” the lieutenant said, a finding confirmed by the Deschutes County medical examiner.
“There was no evidence of trauma to Mr. Harrington,” Sundberg added, “and his helmet was not damaged.”
Burke said of Wednesday’s news, “Our team is devastated for Bob, his family and his friends.”
She had said Tuesday, “The entire Mt. Bachelor team extends their deepest condolences and thoughts to the family and friends of the guest.”
Like many other ski resorts, Mt. Bachelor has increased its messages and warnings to visitors on-site, online and through the media over the years due to similar past tragic tree-well suffocation incidents. Their current information is on this page, urging guess to “always ski or ride with a buddy in sight.”
