OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. — One person was killed and another injured in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Resort during Wednesday’s winter storm, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. The avalanche occurred around 9:30 a.m. on the Palisades side of the Lake Tahoe ski resort, above the GS bowl area of KT-22. The resort had just opened for the season at 9 a.m. and deemed the lift safe.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the person killed was a male, and the injured person suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries. Both individuals were guests at the resort, and no others have been reported missing. The deceased skier was identified as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, a resident of Point Reyes and the Truckee Tahoe area.
Two other individuals were caught in the slide but were unharmed. One person was rescued by their partner, and the other received assistance from another guest. “This is a very sad day for my team and everyone here,” said Palisades Tahoe President and Chief Operating Officer Dee Byrne, who expressed condolences to the victim’s family.
The search and rescue operation was conducted by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Olympic Valley Fire, Palisades Tahoe, and the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. Over 100 personnel from Palisades Tahoe participated in the search. Both sides of the mountain will remain closed for the day, but the resort plans to reopen on Thursday.
The avalanche at Palisades Tahoe came after the resort recorded 9 inches of snowfall on Jan. 3 and 17 inches on Jan. 7. An additional 16-20 inches of snow was forecasted for Wednesday. High winds over the crest of Palisades may have contributed to increased avalanche risk.
The Sierra Avalanche Center had forecasted considerable avalanche danger for Wednesday. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Stay tuned to KCRA 3 for updates on this developing story.
Note: This article does not quote any news organization and is written in AP News Style.