One dead in avalanche at Palisades Tahoe resort in California

(TAHOE CITY, Calif.) — One person was killed in an avalanche at the Palisades Tahoe resort on the California side of Lake Tahoe, authorities said.

Authorities have identified the victim of the avalanche as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, who is a resident of both Point Reyes and the Truckee area.

The death marks the first U.S. avalanche fatality of the 2023-2024 winter season, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

No one has been reported missing and search efforts have concluded, Placer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. David Smith said during a press briefing Wednesday.

The man who died was buried in the avalanche, Michael Gross, the vice president of mountain operations at Palisades Tahoe, told reporters.

Another person suffered a leg injury in the avalanche, authorities said. Both were guests visiting the resort from outside the area, Gross said.

No other details on the deceased victim are being released at this time.

Two people who got caught in the slide had minor injuries, resort officials said.

The avalanche’s debris field is about 150 feet wide, 450 feet long and 10 feet deep, according to the sheriff’s office.

Palisades Tahoe Resort said the avalanche was reported around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The slide occurred near the KT-22 lift, which opened for the first time on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

The resort said both sides of the mountain are closed.

“This is a very sad day for my team and everyone here,” Palisades Resort CEO and president Dee Byrne said during the press briefing.

Byrne said the incident remains under investigation and called the situation “dynamic.”

“We have a lot to learn yet,” she said.

The avalanche comes as a strong storm has blanketed much of the Sierra Nevada mountains with snow this week. Snow is ongoing and the Tahoe area will likely see an additional foot or more of snowfall Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

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