One Person Is Dead After an In-Bounds Avalanche Hit Palisades Tahoe

A terrifying in-bounds avalanche swept down expert terrain at California’s Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday morning, killing one person and leaving another with injuries. The slide forced the resort to shutter shortly after it opened.

The fatality was confirmed by the Placer County Sheriff’s office around midday, and on Wednesday evening authorities identified the victim as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, who lived in both Point Reyes and Truckee.

Three other victims were taken to the hospital but were released after inspection with minor injuries. All four people involved in the avalanche were from outside the Tahoe region.

The slide occurred at approximately 9:30 A.M. in the GS Gully area, which is below the KT-22 chairlift. The KT-22 area was opened for the first time of the 2023-24 season on Wednesday morning after extensive avalanche control work and assessment, and according to multiple local reports, the first skiers down triggered the avalanche in a bowl directly under the lift. Witnesses say that the slide spanned the entire width of the bowl.

According to the sheriff’s office, the slide left a debris field 150 feet wide by 450 long and 10 feet deep.

A major rescue operation commenced, with more than 100 officials from Cal Fire, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, the local sheriff’s office and the resort searching for skiers who may have been buried by the slide. Sergeant David Smith of the Placer County Sheriff’s office told The Associated Press that, by midday Wednesday, all skiers had been accounted for.

Neighboring Alpine Meadows is also closed. You can follow their updates on X.

The slide occurred after the Tahoe area was battered by a major snowstorm. At 6:39 A.M. on Wednesday morning the Sierra Avalanche Center published a report warning of “high-intensity snowfall and gale-force winds.”

“Avalanche danger will quickly increase today with avalanches occurring in a variety of areas by this afternoon,” the agency wrote.

While rare, in-bounds avalanches happen more than we’d like. At Alpine Meadows, which is connected to Palisades Tahoe by the Base to Base Gondola, an in-bounds slide off of the Scott Chair killed experienced skier Cole Comstock and injured his ski companion in January of 2020. The resort settled a negligence lawsuit that was brought by Comstock’s wife in 2021. Also in 2020, an avalanche on Silver Mountain, Idaho’s open and patrolled expert terrain was triggered by skiers crossing a traverse. Three people were killed and several more injured. And in 2019, an in-bounds slide on Taos Ski Valley’s Kachina Peak killed two skiers. Outside delved into the dangers and how in-bounds avalanches can—and sometimes do—happen here.

After a slow start, the Tahoe region has finally begun to get some snowstorms, with almost two feet falling over the last week and more on the way. While we associate avalanche risk with heavy snow and variable temperatures, this is a good reminder that low-snow conditions can also lead to dangerous situations. Palisades Tahoe is currently reporting a 50-inch base amid continuing snowstorm and gusty winds.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes in.