Avalanche kills snowmobiler near Lake Tahoe in winter season's latest fatality
This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
A 42-year-old snowmobiler was buried in an avalanche just north of Lake Tahoe on Monday and died, despite having all of the latest safety gear and being with four other experienced riders.The group set out from Johnson Canyon, on Donner Pass, and rode to nearby Castle Peak, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.After a dry start to the winter, the region has been battered with atmospheric river storms since Christmas, with accumulations of up to 6 feet of snow on nearby summits.The snowmobilers came prepared.
Each was wearing an avalanche beacon/transceiver, which emits a steady radio signal that can be picked up by the other beacons.If someone gets buried, others in the group can use their receivers to help find the buried comrade.On their way back from Castle Peak, the group was caught in a large avalanche.
When the snow settled, Chris Scott Thomason, of Bend, Ore., had disappeared.His friends quickly started searching using their beacons and managed to dig Thomason out, according to the Sheriff’s Office.But avalanche snow, which can start out loose and fluffy, consolidates quickly, hardening like concrete.Anyone trapped with their head under the surface will probably be starved of oxygen.
After Thomason’s friends freed him, they immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation.While they were working to revive their friend, another group showed up that included an off-duty Truckee fire department medic, who “immediately began leading emergency efforts and CPR,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.Despite all of the safety precautions, and the presence of people well-trained in CPR to assist, Thomason did not survive.
California It was the second time in a year that a pair of Mammoth patrollers were caught in an avalanche after doing ‘mitigation work’ designed to prevent deadly snow slides.It has been a dangerous holiday season for avalanches in the...