Australian Skiers Caught in Yesterday’s Avalanche in Palisades Tahoe

Mountainwatch |News

Three Australian skiers were involved in yesterday’s avalanche at Paradise Tahoe that resulted in the death of 66-year-old American Kenneth Kidd. Hannah Sugarman and her brother Oliver Thompson were caught in the avalanche which hit in the GS Bowl off the KT22 chairlift at approximately 9.30am local time.

Due to the slow start to the season and low snow pack in December, yesterday was the first day of operation this year for KT22 and the avalanche happened just 30 minutes after the lift opened for the day

Sugarman and Thompson were buried by the fast-moving snow, Sugarman up to her neck, while Thompson was swept over a cliff band, dislocating his knee and fracturing his tibula and fibula. Sugarman’s partner Callum Wishart was skiing with them but wasn’t caught in the avalanche and was among the first in the scene to dig out Sugarman.

“I did not hear it at all. I could feel everything rolling around underneath me,” Sugarman told Nine News.  “And it just felt heavy, like so heavy. The snow weighed far more than I ever could have imagined.”

Thompson said the avalanche hit him in the back and then “kind of boosted me off these cliffs”. “So, I thought I was probably gonna die. Which is pretty crazy to say,” he told Nine.

Sugarman and Thompson grew up in Jindabyne and skied Thredbo as kids, are expert skiers and former ski racers. The trio were up early to make the most of the fresh snow in some of Palisades best terrain when the dream morning turned in to a night mare.

“It was a bloody crazy experience,” Sugarman told Mountainwatch. “Really sad and really scary – hard to believe it happened.”

Palisades Tahoe has a lot of steep terrain and avalanche mitigation is taken vey seriously and a major part of ski patrol and mountain operations. The cause of the avalanche is under investigation.

Palisades Tahoe released the following statement on its social media channels today:

“Yesterday’s tragedy was incredibly difficult for our community. Our heartfelt condolences are extended to all who suffered loss and trauma resulting from this incident. To the 100+ ski patrollers, avalanche rescue dog teams, lift operators, mountain sports school instructors, local agencies, and members of the public who swiftly jumped into action, and the teams that provided coffee & food to first responders — thank you x 1,000. Your efforts were remarkable.

It is times like this that show just how deeply we care for one another. Not just at Palisades Tahoe, but in the ski community as a whole. There is comfort in knowing that we can support one another through the worst days.”