Avalanche — Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California

2012-03-01 · Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California

Event narrative

A Sierra Avalanche Center report indicated that three skiers were skiing in the backcountry near Alpine Meadows when one of the skiers triggered an avalanche about 300 ft wide by 500 feet long and one foot deep. The skier was buried under 3 feet of snow. The other two skiers found the victim within several minutes. However, the victim sustained severe injuries due to impact with trees and debris and died in the hospital that night.

Wider weather episode

Several days of snow and wind created dangerous avalanche conditions due to the formation of wind slabs on the downwind slopes of ridges around Lake Tahoe. A skier in the backcountry near Alpine Meadows triggered an avalanche.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 359638. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.