Ski

BREAKING: Avalanche at Palisades Tahoe

UPDATE:: 

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. -- At approximately 9:30 a.m. today at Palisades Tahoe, an avalanche occurred on the Palisades side of the ski resort, specifically above the GS bowl area of KT-22.

Olympic Valley Fire Department responded to Palisades Tahoe for word of an avalanche in the ski area. OVFD contacted ski patrol, who confirmed an avalanche in the GS Bowl of KT 22. OVFD began recruiting allied agencies and pooling resources in support of Palisades Ski Patrol efforts: OVFD, PCSO, and Palisades Tahoe.

Placer County Sheriff’s Office assisted Olympic Valley Fire and Palisades Tahoe with the search and rescue operation. Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue was activated along with allied agency partners and assets from the west side. PCSO is investigating the coroner’s case.

The avalanche caused one fatality and one injury. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family members at this difficult time.

No further missing persons have been reported. More than 100 Palisades personnel participated in a beacon search, and two probe lines have been completed. The mountain is closed for the remainder of the day.

The avalanche debris field is approximately 150 feet wide, 450 feet long and 10 feet deep.

We will update with more information as it becomes available. A press conference will be scheduled at 2:30 p.m. at Basecamp at Palisades Tahoe.

WHAT: Palisades Tahoe avalanche incident press conference
WHO: Olympic Valley Fire Department Chief Brad Chisholm, Placer County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Dave Smith, Placer County Sheriff's Office Lt. Don Nevins, Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson
WHERE: Palisades Tahoe, Basecamp Conference Room, 1960 Olympic Vly Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2:30 p.m.

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Search and rescue efforts are under way at Palisades Tahoe after an avalanche occurred this morning. The slide began above the G.S. Gully area off KT-22.

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The avalanche occured just under the KT-22 lift at Palisades Tahoe.

Patrollers have confirmed that the avalanche happened at around 9:15 am this morning. The first group of skiers up KT-22 this morning skied this bowl, triggering the massive avalanche which spanned the width of the entire bowl. There are reports of multiple people being buried and missing.

The entire mountain has been closed, and patrollers are on-site conducting search and rescue operations. We pray that these skiers and riders are found alive.

Being that this was the first time this lift was open this season. We should all take this horrifying incident as a reminder that avalanche potential is always real and something to be wary of – even in low snow conditions. Remember to be smart and play it safe when entering uncertain terrain.

This is a developing story, and we will update this post as more information is made available.

For more resources on avalanche awareness and safety, visit TGR's 2024 Safety Week.

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