Two were injured by the wall of snow. A snowboarder was found dead earlier as a blizzard and fierce winds struck the region.
By Mary Papenfuss
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A powerful avalanche Friday at Squaw Valley Ski Resort above Lake Tahoe in Northern California buried five skiers and snowboarders, injuring two, officials reported.
After digging out survivors and using probes and dogs to search for others, Placer County sheriff’s officials confirmed that everyone on the slope had been rescued.
The injured were taken to hospitals, and one was released by the end of the day. The other suffered a “serious” lower body injury, but the injury was not life-threatening, according to a statement from the ski resort and police. The resort was shut down for the rest of the day.
About 100 police officers, ski patrol members from Squaw Valley and nearby mountains, firefighters, and search-and-rescue team members rushed to the slope as soon as the avalanche was reported at 1:40 p.m. Friday near the Olympic Lady chairlift, according to a statement by the resort. Squaw Valley hosted the Winter Olympics in 1960.
Officials are investigating what may have triggered the avalanche. But it came in the wake of 150 mph wind gusts at the highest elevations and a blizzard that dumped nearly 3 feet of snow by Friday. The storm closed highways and schools.
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More insane video from the Sierra. This big rig is sliding down I-80.
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The Squaw Valley resort website on Friday boasted “nearly 5 feet of snow in 7 days (still snowing!)”
An additional foot of snow is expected by Saturday and an avalanche warning was issued for the back country of the greater Tahoe area until early Saturday.
