OLYMPIC VALLEY – One person has died and one other person was injured in an avalanche on the Palisades Tahoe resort on Wednesday, in accordance with authorities.
The sheriff’s workplace recognized the person killed as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, who’s from Point Reyes and Truckee-Tahoe.
Four folks have been caught within the avalanche, together with two individuals who have been buried, a person who died and one different person who was injured, officers confirmed throughout a information convention Wednesday afternoon.
No different individuals are believed to be lacking, authorities stated.
A girl caught within the avalanche stated she fell about 200 toes and was buried earlier than she was saved by a stranger.
In a press release from the resort, officers stated that the avalanche occurred round 9:30 a.m. Wednesday on the Palisades aspect above the GS gully space of KT-22. At 9:28 a.m., the resort’s mountain operations workforce tweeted that KT-22 was on patrol maintain.
Palisades Tahoe stated its resort will reopen at 9 a.m. Thursday however the KT-22 terrain will stay closed.
Palisades Tahoe path map
palidadestahoe.com
The particles subject is about 150′ huge, 450′ lengthy, and 10′ deep, in accordance with the sheriff’s workplace.
Palisades Tahoe mountain operations confirmed to CBS13 that, on Wednesday, they carried out avalanche mitigation efforts within the space of the avalanche.
More than 100 personnel from Palisades Tahoe helped within the search. Cal Fire additionally stated it moved sources and personnel to assist with potential rescue efforts, in accordance with the California governor’s workplace.
Jen Winklepleck
A skier who was on the elevate and noticed the avalanche shared her story with CBS13, saying that she and others jumped in and helped with search efforts.
Rep. Kevin Kiley, whose third Congressional District encompasses the world of the resort, stated in a press release his workplace is in touch with the Placer County Office of Emergency Services.
“We are grateful to our first responders who’re onerous at work conducting the search,” Kiley wrote.
According to the resort’s web site, all lifts at Palisades and Alpine are actually closed for the day.
Related: Avalanche closes Palisades Tahoe ski resort; Winter storm warning in impact via Thursday
Avalanches are a identified hazard within the Tahoe area, with the Sierra Avalanche Center publishing day by day hazard forecasts. Wednesday’s avalanche hazard ranking was “appreciable” for all ranges the middle tracks.
Back in 2020, an avalanche at Alpine Meadows killed one skier.
Up till Wednesday, there have been no US avalanche-related fatalities in 2024, in accordance with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Last yr, there have been 30 fatalities nationwide, with two occurring in California: One was as hiker on Split Mountain, southwest of Big Pine, and one was a backcountry skier at Hurd Peak, southwest of Bishop.
Palisades Tahoe, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, is without doubt one of the area’s hottest ski resorts. It was renamed in 2021 after a push by Native American teams over the derogatory historical past of the unique title.
