Stupid, stupid me. I’m flat on my back in deep snow, tangled in the low branches of a giant fir tree, skis wedged at odd angles underneath me. I should have committed to making the turn, I shouldn’t have hesitated when I saw the tree, dammit. Now I’m stuck … The tree’s scent is rather lovely though: fresh, woody and slightly sweet.

Tree wells are hidden cavities of unconsolidated snow that form around the base of conifers, and they’re notorious traps for unsuspecting or hesitative skiers. In fact, they will kill you if you fall into them head first. You’ll struggle madly to get yourself out and then you’ll suffocate. We learnt all about it on day one of this heli-skiing week, along with a sobering lesson on how to search for and rescue someone swept away in an avalanche.