Skier Dies After Falling Into Deep Snow at Sunshine Village

A 47-year-old woman who died Saturday afternoon after falling into deep snow on a beginner ski run at Sunshine Village has been identified as Farah Merchant.

Merchant’s brother, Faiz, publicly identified her in a tribute posted on Facebook following the incident. In the post, he described her as a loving and devoted mother with a kind soul, and said she is survived by her son, Liam.

The incident occurred around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27, on Sunshine’s lower mountain that serves as a primary route back toward the base area.

“The incident occurred on the green run, upper Banff Avenue,” said Kendra Scurfield, vice president of brand and communications at Sunshine Village. “The skier fell in deep snow on the left hand side of the run.”

Banff Avenue is a wide, groomed beginner trail that winds through forested terrain and is commonly used by skiers traveling between lifts and base facilities. According to Sunshine’s trail map, the run sits below Goat’s Eye Mountain and connects skiers toward the lower mountain and gondola area.

Ski patrol was alerted by witnesses almost immediately.

“The fall was witnessed and reported to patrol by bystanders,” Scurfield said.

Sunshine’s public safety team arrived within minutes.

“Our team was on site within three minutes of being called,” Scurfield said. “On site they commenced CPR. Sunshine’s public safety team worked on the woman for two hours. Sadly their effort was unsuccessful.”

The incident has been reported as a deep snow immersion, not a tree well accident, according to Sunshine.

“The woman fell in a patch of deep snow,” Scurfield said. “Reported as deep snow immersion.”

Deep snow immersion is a broad term used in ski safety to describe situations where a person becomes submerged in unconsolidated snow, making movement and breathing difficult. According to the National Ski Areas Association, deep snow immersion can lead to immobilization and suffocation.

Tree wells are one commonly known example, forming around the base of trees where snow accumulates loosely, but deep snow immersion can also occur in open areas during periods of heavy snowfall. Sunshine did not indicate that this incident involved a tree well, and the resort did not provide additional details about environmental or terrain factors. Sunshine also did not respond to questions about whether similar incidents have occurred in the past.

The incident occurred during an unusually snowy start to the season. Sunshine Village says December has been its fourth snowiest month in the resort’s 98-year history, allowing terrain to open that has not typically been available this early in the season.

The heavy snowfall has transformed conditions across the resort, including on lower mountain runs that are typically more compacted earlier in the season. During prolonged snowfall cycles, pockets of unconsolidated snow can develop even on groomed trails, particularly along run edges and near tree lines.

Deep snow immersion is a recognized hazard during such conditions. According to Backcountry Access, approximately 20 percent of fatalities in public ski areas are attributed to deep snow immersion. Research cited by the Alpine Institute has found that the likelihood of self-rescue in these incidents is low, particularly when a skier is alone. In controlled experiments conducted in the United States and Canada, the organization reports that 90 percent of participants placed in simulated tree well scenarios were unable to free themselves without assistance.

In a brief statement, Sunshine expressed condolences and acknowledged the efforts of both bystanders and staff.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the woman during this difficult time,” Scurfield said. “We are deeply saddened by the event. We’d like to acknowledge our response team for their efforts.”

The fatality occurred during a busy holiday period marked by exceptional snow conditions across the Bow Valley, drawing high visitation to local ski hills.

No further information has been released.