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Oregon City skier died after falling into tree well on Mount Bachelor

On Sunday, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 53-year-old Kenneth Brundidge of Oregon City.

BEND, Ore. — An Oregon City man died on Mount Bachelor in Central Oregon on Friday afternoon.

On Sunday, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 53-year-old Kenneth Brundidge. 

The skier was found in an area just west of Sparks Lake Run, an experts-only area off the Northwest chairlift. The sheriff's office said Brundidge was an experienced skier who was out with a group when he became separated from his companions.

The group searched for Brundidge for a short time before notifying Mount Bachelor Ski Patrol. A short time later, Brundidge was discovered unresponsive in a tree well.  A tree well is an area with loose snow around a tree trunk. 

CPR was performed but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The skier was not identified.

“The entire Mt. Bachelor team hurts for the skier’s family and friends and we send our deepest condolences,” the ski resort said in its Facebook post.

It’s the second time in a week a person died after falling into a tree well at an Oregon ski resort. On Feb. 23, a snowboarder was found dead at Timberline.

RELATED: Snowboarder dies at Timberline Ski Area

According to the Northwest Avalanche Center, which tracks tree-well related deaths, there had been only five in the state of Oregon since 2001, with the fifth being the Feb. 23 incident at Timberline.

More information on tree wells and snow immersion suffocation 

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