Woman Suffocates in Canadian Resort After Falling into Deep Powder
29th December 2025 | James Cove, Sunshine Village.
Last modified on January 2nd, 2026
A woman in her late40s has died from likely asphyxiation after falling into a pocket of deep, soft snow near a green run at Sunshine Village Ski Resort. PlanetSKI reports from the resort. UPDATED
She fell in deep snow in the trees off Banff Avenue, a green run on the lower mountain area.
The ski patrol arrived within three minutes of being alerted, but despite resuscitation efforts, the woman could not be revived.
The fall was witnessed by another skier on the mountain who tried to help the woman until the ski patrol arrived.
The victim has been identified by her brother as 47-year-old Farah Merchant from Toronto in Canada.
It does not appear that she fell into a tree well, but rather it was a ‘deep snow immersion.’
If a person is buried and snow blocks a person’s airway, it can result in suffocation or cardiac arrest.
Runs off Banff Avenue in Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time,” said the director of brand and communications at Sunshine Village, Kendra Scurfield.
“We understand how hard it must be for them, and we’d also like to thank our ski patrol team for their work.
“It looked like she had fallen into deep snow and there may have been either asphyxiation due to the snow or cardiac arrest.”
The ski patrollers involved gave two hours of resuscitation – in Canada, ski patrollers are required to continue giving resuscitation until a doctor formally pronounces death.
A post-mortem examination is underway.
According to Back Country Skiing Canada, snow immersion suffocation (SIS) can occur when someone falls into deep, loose snow and becomes immobilized, usually in a head-first position.
Sometimes they are alone with no ski partner to dig them out, and struggling can make the situation worse as they sink deep into the snowpack.
“She was a loving and devoted mother to her son, Liam, a cherished daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend,” said her brother Faiz Merchant on Facebook
“She had a kind soul and touched so many lives with her love, warmth, and compassion.
“She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.”
Sunshine Village has seen record amounts of December snow with 4.48m on the upper mountain and another 61cm this week.
There have been huge amounts of snow in Sunshine Village this December and though the resort is better known for its steep terrain – Delirium Dive, Wild West and South Side Shutes – there have been some deep pockets of powder.
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
We have reported on the current snow conditions direct from Sunshine Village in our rolling PlanetSKI snow reports:
Skiers and snowboarders are being urged to be extra vigilant and exercise extreme caution in the current conditions.
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