One skier was killed and another injured after an avalanche ripped through a mountainside at a California ski resort Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Masses of snow fell precipitously off the mountain at Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California, around 9:30 a.m., according to resort and response officials.
Sergeant. David Smith, spokesman for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters hours later that a male guest visiting the resort died.
The skier was later identified as Kenneth Kidd, 66, a resident of Point Reyes in the Bay Area and the Truckee, California, area north of Lake Tahoe, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Another person, who was also not local, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Smith said.
Emergency crews respond to the avalanche at Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley, California, Jan. 10, 2024. AP Rescue workers search the avalanche site near Lake Tahoe. Mark Sponsler via AP According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, there have been no “confirmed reports” of anyone trapped. Andy Barrón/AP Photo
“At this time all search efforts have concluded… there is no one else on the mountain,” Smith said.
The avalanche forced Palisades Tahoe to close both sides of the mountain for the day just 30 minutes after opening while its rescue teams and local agencies searched the area for victims.
The fatal snowslide occurred on the steep slopes below the KT-22 lift, which serves the “Black Diamond” slopes for expert skiers and snowboarders.
The location of the avalanche at the Palisades ski resort Jason Bean / USA TODAY NETWORK
The trail opened for the first day of the season on Wednesday after resort staff had been patrolling the area for avalanche conditions since Sunday, Palisades Tahoe officials said.
The debris field from the avalanche was about 150 feet wide, 450 feet long and 10 feet deep, the sheriff’s office said. The cause of the avalanche is under investigation.
“The entire Palisades Tahoe team, including all first responders, extends their deepest condolences to the family and friends of those involved in the incident,” the resort said in a statement.
Palisades is on the western side of Lake Tahoe, about 40 miles from Reno, Nevada, and hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Rescue teams work at the avalanche site. AP teams had to work in near-dark conditions. AP The Palisades Tahoe ski lift is closed after an avalanche. AP
Wind gusts reached 100 mph in peaks around Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, while a powerful approaching storm could dump up to 2 feet of snow at high elevations by Thursday.
The avalanche came as a powerful storm was expected to dump up to 2 feet of snow at higher elevations early Thursday.
Up to 2 inches of snow per hour could fall Wednesday in areas around the popular ski destination, the National Weather Service in Reno said Wednesday.
Live camera footage from Palisades Tahoe Base Camp shortly after this morning’s avalanche, showing weather conditions around the mountain. PalisadesTahoe.com
A 110 mph gust was recorded Tuesday afternoon atop Alpine Meadows, the Palisades’ neighboring resort south of Truckee, California, the agency said.
Palisades Tahoe officials told reporters that it is “absolutely” normal to open their trails under these conditions.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn