Officials warned of ‘considerable’ avalanche danger before deadly slide at Palisades Tahoe

Rescue crews work Wednesday at the scene of an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe resort near Lake Tahoe. Hours before an avalanche killed a 66-year-old skier and injured at least one other at Palisades Tahoe resort on Wednesday, forecasters warned that the risk of an avalanche in the area was “considerable.” The Sierra Avalanche Center, a nonprofit avalanche forecasting organization conducted in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, issues a daily forecast with a five-point avalanche danger scale, ranging from low to extreme. A Level 3 threat indicates “dangerous avalanche conditions” that could lead to “small avalanches in many areas; large avalanches in specific areas,” and warns that “natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely.” The center’s forecast discussion said “weak snow” layers that were one to two feet below the surface were “the most problematic layers” in the area snowpack before Wednesday’s storm hit the region. The day’s avalanche forecast warned of two types of avalanches possible for the Greater Tahoe area: “persistent slab” avalanches, and “wind slab” avalanches. The central Sierra Nevada had been facing a record low snowpack for this time of year due to the ongoing “snow drought.” Wednesday was the first day of operation for ski lift KT-22 at the Palisades Tahoe Resort where the deadly avalanche occurred.