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Subscribe to RSSA skier who was caught in an avalanche in Alpine Meadows, Calif., died late Thursday, NBC station KCRA reported.
The 29-year-old man had been skiing with two other people in rugged terrain when they were hit by a wave of snow, sheriff's officials said.
One of the skiers was able to get out and call for help while one other stayed behind with the injured man, KCRA said.
The sheriff's officials told KCRA they were informed of the incident at 2:50 p.m. local time (5:50 p.m. ET).
The rescue teams reached the scene at 4:20 p.m. (8:50 p.m. ET). ABC station NEWS10 reported that rescuers approached the area on a snowcat but had to hike for half a mile to reach the victims still at the scene.
Extreme skiing deaths on the rise in California community
Rescuers said the man who died had been slammed against a tree and partly buried in snow, NEWS10 reported.
"We had to unwrap him from around some trees and stuff and dig him out a bit more," Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue team member Doug Read told NEWS10. "The slide had gone at least another 500 feet below that through a pretty thick forest and it was very unstable."
The man was taken to Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, where he later died. His name has not been released, the sheriff's office said.
KCRA reported that another of the three skiers suffered a broken leg.
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NBC station KCRA and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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Tragic. Best wishes for family and friends.
ban skiing. too dangerous. we need a law against avalanches.
@Clebro Grow a pair. BTW Avalnches are a naturally occuring phenomena. They can't be outlawed. That's like saying outlaw tornadoes.
THE BEST PERSON TO EVER LIVE ON EARTH,
You are obviously not THE SMARTEST PERSON TO EVER LIVE ON EARTH. You missed Clebro2's sarcasm!
Schoolyard is right. My guess is Clebro2 is pointing out how our Fed Gov is out of control with regulation, etc..
But that's just my best guess.
ya, know Best Person has a point, we should outlaw tornado's. earthquakes too...
Okay, okay...we can't outlaw them but we need to give them strict but fair guidelines to work within. And because the do so much environmental damage, we should setup a system of ‘off-set’ points they can buy to help repair the damage they cause…yah that's it.
Apparently two sarcasms cancels out the original sarcasm for some people. Now isn't this ironic.
THE BEST PERSON TO EVER LIVE ON EARTH! - he was kidding. gee whiz!
He's got a point alright. on top of his head !! Just being funny. I recognize sarcasim ......most of the time.... well, sometimes. He's gotta be a foreighner !!
It certainly is tragic when anyone dies like this. However, I have to ask: were these skiers in an out-of-bounds area, skiing in restricted, avalanche-prone territory (it happens quite frequently, often with similar results)? Not saying that anybody "asks" for this to happen, but can anyone be surprised when this results in serious injury and death, if they were indeed somewhere they oughtn't be? Some common sense would have better served these people, by realizing the danger they put themselves in. Condolences to their friends and families. As I said, it is indeed tragic when a death like this occurs; it makes it especially senseless when someone dies unnecessarily from a case of the "dumbs".
You don't have to qualify your question in any way. It is logical to ask whether they were skiing out of bounds. I won't make any assumptions, but most often in these situations, that is the case. So, while it is sad that it happens, people make choices and some choose to risk their lives.
Squaw Valley reports over 5 feet of snow since Monday. Squaw is on the other side of the mountain from Alpine Meadows. I can't fathom that there would be much stability with that quantity of snow. I assume this would have occurred out of bounds, otherwise the resort most likely did avalanche control work the morning before they opened for the day. I am sorry to read stories like this, especially when it has happened to someone so young.
Sounds like the skiers were in a non=safe area with all that rugged terrain. RIP
BAN AVALANCHES!!!!!
What the hell does "BAN AVALANCHES" mean?
?
THE BEST PERSON TO EVER LIVE ON EARTH! - you must have a problem. Can you not spot sarcasm? Quit being so literal!!!
"We had to unwrap him from around some trees and stuff and dig him out a bit more,"
How graphic!
California tree hugger?
Just another effort to free man kind
Very sad. People should not be skiing where there is danger of things happening like this. Why don't people use their brains instead of using their wants and desires. "I'm going skiing no matter what the conditions!"
It is very sad but, people will always tempt fate and push the "envelope". There is something to be said for risk taking... I have never been one to live "inside the lines" but, there is a fine line between adventure and being sucidal. I love the ocean but know when it is unsafe to enter. Some people will say it is always unsafe, however, I have never had any problems because of common sense and I am sure a measure of good fortune. Enjoy the earth for sure, but respect her just the same... My condolences to the families and friends of that young skier...this is a horrible time for all of them and I hope they can find some peace in the midst of this tragedy.
It was a 13 year old skiing out of bounds who died in an avalanche in Aspen a few weeks ago. Bad choices.
And, before the best person on earth jumps in about living free, I have nothing against outdoor adventure, even extreme sports of which I have participated in a few, however, you cannot deny that one often puts their own life at risk as a participant. Just because you survive it for years doesn't mean you're smarter or more skilled than someone else. Just means your number hasn't come up yet.
Young people tend to do many things that tempt death. There is a thrill for them that provides something that seems to be worth more to them than LIFE ITSELF. Base Jumpers, Rope-less Rock Climbing and a list of others will continue to takes their foolish lives and break their Mothers hearts. Common sense and logic may be as rare as a Redskin winning season for the young. Is it cool to risk your life?
KLUGMO: Just the other day on tv there was an interview with the young wife and mother of an extreme skier that just died in another avalanche. The host asked her if she thought he shouldn't have been skiing like that. She said "Absolutely not!" This was his life and his desire. She would NEVER have asked him to stop. He knew the risks and made the choice. She too was aware of all of it and accepted it. These EXTREME skiers are excellent skiers. They are in some people's minds 'dumb' as stated above. Check Top Gun pilots, Navy Seals, etc. Are they dumb? Not on your life folks! Are they risk takers? You betcha. The top of the line in risk takers! They are a special breed. These extreme skiers are the same just a different venue.
I just looked up the words dumb and stupid in the dictionary. They have two different meanings. Maybe a better choice of words would clarify the message.
But seriously, I'm sure they were aware of the risks...
HAHAHAHA WIPEOUT! *plays awesome techno/rocksong*
Another one bites the dust. and another one gone, and another one gone
and yet skiing takes another life and nothing is done . skiing should be outlawed for safety reasons.
You're kidding, right? While we're at it lets ban driving, hiking, swimming....Hell, let's outlaw living, It's too dangerous!
I just wanted to give congress another quest.
Best Person, your missing the point, we can ban those things, they have rights too. Like I said they can live within fair but strict rules. We just need to regulate them.
sking should be taxed . for the good of the people.
This just in, Al Gore was spotted somewhere along the trail with a sign reading, "I Told You Global Warming Was Real."
Who can be at fault for this? Condolences to the skier, but come on. Doesn't anybody else believe that you do this type of skiing at your own risk?
Alpine Meadows. GREAT mountain! I lived in Tahoe for five years and it is one of the last old school resorts. No flash / no hype and very local. When they get snow on Donner Pass the place gets slammed. Last week they got one of those 5 foot storms. The snows of Tahoe are usually never light snow either like you'd get in Utah and Colorado. Sort of heavy but in a good way when your skiing steep terrain as you can control your speed by pushing down further in the snow. In all the years I've lived in different resorts I've been lucky to have some pretty good mornings of first tracks due to we used to always help the ski patrol pack down the maze of the lift line every morning. In exchange we got to go up ahead of the rest of the skiiers and make first tracks with the ski patrol. The only rule was you had to stay in bounds and on the run. If you followed that single rule you got in good with the patrol and they would recognize you after awhile and let you ski with them as they opened other runs. Every year there was and still is one or two guys that feel they are so beyond the force of nature and any depth of snow they will cut the ropes and ski back country no matter what amount of snow. These are the same people who leave the house late on a powder day and drive like mad men on the roads to get to the mountain in time usually screaming around anything that gets in their way. When they get to the mountain and realize they're at the back of the line they'll then start merging and passing people in the lift line, scraping over their skies and shoving them out of the way. What amuses me about this is on a powder day the ski patrol are working as fast as they can with as little staff as they are given and no matter if your first or 10th in line your still gonna get held up at the next lift til they can get it open. What sucks is when you have this amount of snow and the patrols understaffed you not is there a high risk of accidents but if and when you do get hurt you have to accept that the patrol probably won't be getting to you in record time due to the conditions and all they have on their plate to accomplish in an 10 hour day and even more so if your skiing out of bounds. What I'm saying is with as much acreage as is available at an average resort there is plenty of first tracks for everyone even if your 10th or 40th in line due to the patrol can only work so fast. But for those who still need to be the very first ones up be abe to accept the fact that if you get hurt don't come whinning to the patrol and the media of the late response of help. You want to be an idiot and ski out of bounds first runs of the day you should also accept that you may be required to carry your buddies lifeless body out of the woods yourself..
Boy. All of the pusilanimous couch potatoes, who think that walking outside on to the front porch is an extreme sport are on here talking about things they know nothing of. What's new? Stick to the video games! Unlike you, I was born to live free. And if I end up dying in the process, at least I know my life was wasted in fear. A coward dies a thousand deaths! I've been sking and riding for 18 years, 10 of which I've spent in the backcountry. I am alive and well, with enough vivid memories of glorious alpine adventure to last three lifetimes. MONTANIS SEMPER LIBERI
Those were the days before GPS. When you had to give the Patrol a general area of the last place you saw your friend before he got sucked under by the avalanche. Back then it was at least 24 hours before you might see the body being dragged out on a sled. In most cases though they wouldn't even waste their effort looking for him til the late spring thaw.
*was not
You are a monument to natural selection. May all of your lemming generation continue your behavior.
You think much too highly of yourself.
Have fun Best, I hope you live and are well to enjoy your adventures as I do mine, just one thing: Live. Some risks simply are truly not worth it. Just think of all you'll miss if you die young... I'm fifty three and planning a trip to Africa. If I'd died at twenty, I'd have missd Africa by thirty three years...not to menion all the trips, adventures and experiences in between. ...Just a thought....
Lived in Tahoe for years ... even had a ski shop on North Shore ... hell, Bono died a stones throw from my condo ... always dangerous activity ... but if your off the path and skiing in restricted areas ... it is a major risk ... no matter how good of a skier one is ...
RIP ..... and Everyone be careful.
If your going to be a thrill seeker this is the risk you take. I like the safety equipment they have now for avalanche survival. The inflation devices seem to work very well. I am not sure why more people do not choose to wear this type of equipment?
You just can't fix Stupid
Are you referring to THE BEST PERSON TO EVER LIVE ON EARTH? :))
@ALS You really have a hard on for me don't ya?
Ban sking all sorts wingnuts on here I taught freestyle with Wo ng, Chaffee an even Stump.
When I was eight years old I used to go bush whackin' and skied the snowfieds.
Keep your tips up.
Alpine is a great area ##$% Happens
enjoy your life, because life is short. "For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (Jas. 4:14)."
My son was killed when riding his Harley by a 82 old woman(ban old woman drivers), in mesa, az. through this I learn to live life to the fullest, be nice to others and enjoy life, so i bought me a harley, in remembrance of him. Don't be scare live life to the fullest!
r.i.p great person
My condolences to the family. Skiers like rock climbers, etc have risk taking genes - they like the thrill. I myself am not a chance taker and will probably die of a heart attack for not being active enough. They know the risks when they go sking in rough terrain and make that choice. I hope these men and women with families will think about the risks before they take out on their adventures (no matter age) and have their insurance policies, etc. in order. While there is satisfaction in doing what we love sometimes there ar risks and they need to be weighed!