A terrifying in-bounds avalanche swept down expert terrain at California鈥檚 Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday morning, killing one person and leaving another with injuries. The slide forced the resort to shutter shortly after it opened.
The fatality was confirmed by the Placer County Sheriff鈥檚 office around midday, and on Wednesday evening authorities identified the victim as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, who lived in both Point Reyes and Truckee.
Three other victims were taken to the hospital but were released after inspection with minor injuries. All four people involved in the avalanche were from outside the Tahoe region.
The slide occurred at approximately 9:30 A.M. in the GS Gully area, which is below the KT-22 chairlift. The KT-22 area was opened for the first time of the 2023-24 season on Wednesday morning after extensive avalanche control work and assessment, and , the first skiers down triggered the avalanche in a bowl directly under the lift. Witnesses say that the slide spanned the entire width of the bowl.
According to the sheriff鈥檚 office, the slide left a debris field 150 feet wide by 450 long and 10 feet deep.
A major rescue operation commenced, with more than 100 officials from Cal Fire, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, the local sheriff鈥檚 office and the resort searching for skiers who may have been buried by the slide. Sergeant David Smith of the Placer County Sheriff鈥檚 office that, by midday Wednesday, all skiers had been accounted for.
Prayers 馃檹
鈥 Tahoe Daily Snow (@TahoeWeather)
Neighboring Alpine Meadows is also closed. You can on X.
View this post on Instagram
The slide occurred after the Tahoe area was battered by a major snowstorm. At 6:39 A.M. on Wednesday morning the warning of 鈥渉igh-intensity snowfall and gale-force winds.鈥
鈥淎valanche danger will quickly increase today with avalanches occurring in a variety of areas by this afternoon,鈥 the agency wrote.
While rare, in-bounds avalanches happen more than we鈥檇 like. At Alpine Meadows, which is connected to Palisades Tahoe by the Base to Base Gondola, an聽in-bounds slide聽off of the Scott Chair killed experienced skier Cole Comstock and injured his ski companion in January of 2020. The resort聽聽that was brought by Comstock鈥檚 wife in 2021.聽Also in 2020, an avalanche on Silver Mountain, Idaho鈥檚 open and patrolled expert terrain was triggered by skiers crossing a traverse. Three people were killed and several more injured.聽And in 2019, an聽in-bounds slide on Taos Ski Valley鈥檚 Kachina Peak聽killed two skiers. 国产吃瓜黑料 delved into the dangers and how in-bounds avalanches can鈥攁nd sometimes do鈥攈appen聽here.
After a slow start, the Tahoe region has finally begun to get some snowstorms, with almost two feet falling over the last week and more on the way. While we associate avalanche risk with heavy snow and variable temperatures, this is a good reminder that low-snow conditions can also lead to dangerous situations. Palisades Tahoe is currently reporting a 50-inch base amid continuing snowstorm and gusty winds.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes in.