OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. — Wednesday's avalanche in Palisades Tahoe happened in an area known for advanced skiers, and it killed 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd. Three others were caught in the snow, but skiers jumped into action to save them.
"The accident yesterday was a terrible tragedy. It's terrible whenever the mountains take somebody," said Logan Talbott, chief guide at Alpenglow Expeditions.
He was on the scene Wednesday helping with search and rescue efforts. While he can't speak on the specific incident for legal reasons, he said there are a few things both new and experienced skiers need to know.
"A lot of ski area skiers and riders, they don't realize that there is a such thing as objective hazard. They assume it's completely safe, and that's just not the case. The only way (to be) completely safe is to stay at home," said Talbott.
The next way to prepare yourself as a skier is to be educated about the hazards by taking a class on avalanche safety.
If caught, he said people can try and ski out of it or sidestep off the snow once it starts moving.
"We should have partners and, ideally in a perfect world, having avalanche gear is not a bad idea at ski areas, especially for a first-time opening. And that's a big one. If you look at the history, a lot of these post-control releases or avalanches inbound are during the first opening of the season," said Billy Rankin, owner and lead instructor at Intuition Consulting and also a longtime avalanche professional.
Avalanche rescue equipment includes three items:
- An avalanche beacon or transceiver, which you wear and is for locating people under the snow
- A probe which you use to stick in the ground to find someone
- A shovel to dig a victim out
"If we are not wearing a transceiver, we are really not searchable. And then it becomes a problem of probing, probe lines, and/or avalanche dogs which is much more, less effective and takes longer," said Rankin.
Experts said taking this equipment is a big deal whether someone is backcountry skiing or at a resort.
"Avalanches are a reality, so carrying avalanche safety equipment and educating yourself on how to use that equipment is a really good idea," said Talbott.
Experts say you should take at least one avalanche class to educate yourself. You can sign up online at alpenglowexpeditions.com.
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