At approximately 9:30am today at Palisades Tahoe, an avalanche occurred on the Palisades side, specifically above the GS gully area of KT-22, an area that serves “black diamond” runs for skilled skiers and snowboarders.
The avalanche prompted Palisades Tahoe to close 30 minutes after it opened, and search crews combed the area to see if anyone was injured or trapped.
The unfortunate news came around 2:30pm today that the avalanche caused one fatality and one injury. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased victim as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd of Point Reyes. Kidd also owned a home in the Truckee area.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his 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.