C. Falls student dies after ski accident

A 16-year-old skier from Columbia Falls died Sunday morning as a result of accidentally falling into a tree well at the Whitefish Mountain Resort last week.

Niclas Waschle was transported from Whitefish Mountain Resort to Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Wednesday morning, Dec. 19, after he was found unconscious and clinging to life in a tree well. He was found off the trail close to the T-bar 2 lift line east of Big Mountain’s summit, according to resort spokesman Donnie Clapp.

Two skiers stopped when they saw a pair of skis sticking out of the snow and began digging Waschle out. A licensed nurse who was skiing in the area stopped to help and started administering CPR. A ski patroller arrived on scene and utilized an automated external defibrillator. The victim was unresponsive throughout the rescue effort.

Additional patrollers had a difficult time getting to the scene on snowmobile due to deep snow drifts, Clapp noted. After more help arrived, Waschle was transported on a rescue toboggan to the resort’s medical clinic, operated by North Valley Hospital, at the base of the mountain. Patrollers continued chest compressions during the entire sled ride.

Waschle is a foreign-exchange student from Germany living with the Vanhorn family from Columbia Falls. The Waschle family traveled to Montana and made the decision to cease life support. The young man was a season-pass holder and a student at Columbia Falls High School. He was also a member of the school cross country team.

“It’s a horrible situation for many people,” said cross country coach Richard Menicke. “He was a super young man.”

Friends can drop off cards and condolences at the high school office, said CFHS principal Alan Robbins.

A medic at the resort clinic was able to find a faint pulse on Waschle. Big Mountain Fire Department transported him to KRMC where personnel administered slow-warming therapy, which is used to treat hypothermia. It’s unclear if Waschle was skiing alone at the time of the accident, how he fell into the tree well or how long he was there.

Blizzard conditions were present on the mountain at the time, including heavy snow, steady wind and freezing temperatures.

Chris Peterson contributed to this story.