California: one person killed in avalanche at Lake Tahoe ski resort
A morning avalanche at a Lake Tahoe ski resort in northern California has killed a 34-year-old skier and severely injured another, according to the Placer county sheriff’s office.
The injured victim was transported by ambulance to Tahoe Forest hospital in Truckee where he was undergoing surgery.
The incident is reportedly the fifth avalanche fatality this year and the 10th of the US ski season, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.
The Sierra Avalanche Center warned of dangerous avalanche conditions for all elevations, stating on its website that there was “a high degree of uncertainty in regards to snowpack instability near and below treeline”.
A storm that swept through northern California on Thursday dumped up to 25in (0.63m) of snow at the top of the resort, said Edan Weishahn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada. She said 1 to 2ft of snow fell in the surrounding mountains over a 24-hour period.
The area surrounding Alpine Meadows,
where the avalanche took place, was home to the 1960 Winter Olympics and has since served as a popular destination for tourists and skiers.
An avalanche at Alpine Meadows in 1982 killed seven people, including several employees of the ski resort. One survivor was buried alive for several days.
The Placer county sheriff ’s office said in a tweet that the search had been called off and there were no additional victims. A sergeant in the sheriff department said there is no indication the area is currently at risk.
The sheriff’s department has identified the victim as 34-year-old Cole Comstock from Blairsden, California.
A sergeant in the department said Comstock and another person were skiing a remote back country slope when the avalanche occurred, according to ABC 10. The surviving victim is reported to have suffered severe injuries to the lower body and was rushed to the hospital.
A spokesperson for the sheriff ’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Avalanches are most common in the winter and early months of spring but can occur any time if conditions are favorable. Ski resorts can sometimes head off destructive and spontaneous avalanches by setting off smaller flows of snow through the use of explosives.
On its website, the Alpine Meadows Ski Resort touts itself as a “picturesque playground for families and offthe-radar thrill-seekers”. The property has more than 100 trails across 2,400 acres (971 hectares) , groomed runs and chalet-style lodges. The resort is in Tahoe City and about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from Lake Tahoe.
Agencies contributed reporting