What We Know So Far About the Deadly Avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort
One skier was killed, and three others were injured when an avalanche tore through a portion of a trail at the biggest ski resort in the Lake Tahoe region of California on Wednesday morning during a strong snowstorm.
According to a national database maintained by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, this is the nation’s first recorded avalanche fatality for the 2023–2024 winter season. In the winter of 2022–2023, avalanches claimed the lives of thirty people, compared to just seventeen in the season before.
The well-liked K-22 chairlift at the resort opened for business on that first day of the ski season. Claimed to be the “greatest expert lift in North America,” it is well-known for servicing difficult terrain that experienced skiers and snowboarders frequently visit.
Authorities say that investigations into what caused the deadly avalanche are still ongoing. Here is what we currently know:
1 dead, 3 injured
The Palisades Tahoe ski resort said in a statement that over 100 resort personnel, supported by members of the public, completed a search of the area. They found a male skier who had “sustained fatal injuries” and was pronounced dead by a local hospital.
In a post on X, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Kenneth Kidd, a 66-year-old resident of both Point Reyes and the Truckee area.
Three other skiers had “non-life-threatening injuries” and were released after receiving treatment, said the ski resort. Authorities said that one of them had suffered a lower leg injury while the other two had unspecified injuries.
“The entire Palisades Tahoe team, including all of the first responders, extend their deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those involved in the incident,” the statement from Palisades Tahoe said.
No other missing persons were reported, authorities said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Cause of avalanche remains unclear.
What triggered Wednesday’s avalanche remains unclear, with Palisades Tahoe and authorities saying that investigations are still underway.
Before the storm on Wednesday, the region had experienced days of heavy snowfall—which is expected to continue until Thursday morning.
The ski resort’s patrol team had undertaken avalanche assessments since Sunday, Michael Gross, vice president of mountain operations at Palisades Tahoe, said at the press briefing. “So, for the past few days they’ve been up there doing control work, evaluating weather conditions, setting up all safety markings, hazard markings, et cetera, to get them prepared for today’s opening,” he said.
Palisades Tahoe’s history
Opened in 1949, the ski resort in Olympic Valley, California, is the largest of its kind in the Lake Tahoe region, with 6,000 skiable acres across two mountains that range from beginner-friendly routes to expert runs, according to its website.
Since hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics, Palisades Tahoe has been a popular site of choice for international ski competitions, including the ongoing FIS Ski World Cup.
While it’s best known for its skiing facilities, Palisades Tahoe also attracts visitors in the summer for hiking and cycling the trails.
However, avalanches have posed a longstanding threat to the area. Last year, an apartment near Palisades Tahoe was struck by an avalanche, forcing residents in surrounding buildings to evacuate.
Another avalanche in 2020 at the Alpine Meadows ski resort, part of Palisades Tahoe, killed a 34-year-old skier and seriously injured another. In a lawsuit that was settled in 2022, Palisades Tahoe was accused of negligence by the late skier’s wife and close friend, who claimed that the resort had rushed to open the slopes despite unsafe conditions.
Kidd, the victim in Wednesday’s avalanche, was a guest at the resort, resort representatives said. “This is a very sad day for my team and everyone here,” Dee Byrne, president of Palisades Tahoe, said at the press briefing on Wednesday.
