One Person Dead, Another Injured in Avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort
A tragic incident unfolded at Palisades Tahoe ski resort in California on Wednesday (10), as one person lost their life and another sustained minor injuries in an avalanche, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
The identities of the deceased individual and the injured person have not been disclosed by the authorities, but both were guests at the resort. Two additional individuals were caught in the avalanche but fortunately escaped without injuries.
“At this time, all search efforts have been concluded. There is no one else on the mountain,” stated Placer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson David Smith.
Formerly known as Squaw Valley, Palisades Tahoe hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and is situated approximately 160 kilometers northeast of San Francisco.
The avalanche occurred around 9:30 AM local time in the ‘GS gully’ area of the ski resort, near the renowned KT-22 ski lift, which opened for the season on Wednesday (10).
“This is a very sad day for my team,” expressed Dee Byrne, President and Chief Operating Officer of the resort, during a press conference. He emphasized that a thorough investigation into the incident is underway.
The exact cause of the avalanche remains unclear, but the region has experienced heavy snowfall and strong winds in recent days.
Michael Gross, Vice President of Mountain Operations at Palisades Tahoe, stated during the press conference that the resort’s ski patrol had been conducting avalanche assessments in the area where the slide occurred since Sunday (7) and deemed it safe for public access.
He noted that opening a ski run amid heavy snowfall is a normal practice.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office, in a statement, mentioned that the avalanche debris field measured approximately 45.7 meters wide, 137 meters long, and three meters deep.
