A skier reported missing at a Lake Tahoe resort has been found deceased. This tragic news follows an avalanche just days earlier that claimed the lives of eight individuals in a nearby area.
Colin Kang, a 21-year-old student from San Jose State University, was last seen around noon on Tuesday. His body was discovered on Thursday on the Black Diamond Sugar Pine Glade Trail at the Northstar California Resort.
This incident marks the third death at the resort in the last two weeks, though specific circumstances surrounding Kang’s death remain unclear.
Heavy snowfall had battered the region just before his disappearance, leading to a significant avalanche at Castle Peak, about 30 minutes away, which resulted in the death of eight skiers.
Kang was reported missing by his university’s ski team late Wednesday night, and police located his vehicle in the North Star parking lot.
The Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team mobilized 15 skiers along with snowmobiles to commence the search for him at around 9 a.m. Thursday.
“We are deeply saddened by the news of his passing. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and teammates who had the privilege of knowing him,” remarked Tara Schedinger, manager at Northstar California.
Earlier in the week, 53-year-old Stuart McLaughlin also died at Northstar, with another casualty, 26-year-old Nicholas Kenworthy, occurring on February 12 during an expert-level descent.
The recent loss at the Tahoe resort coincides with the avalanche at Castle Peak near Truckee. In that incident, 15 backcountry skiers encountered trouble, leading to multiple fatalities, with eight confirmed dead and one still missing, presumed dead. Among the identified victims are Carrie Atkin, Kate Morse, Daniel Keetley, Caroline Sekar, Kate Witt, and Liz Klobaugh.
On a somewhat hopeful note, six individuals, comprising five women and one man aged between 30 and 55, were successfully rescued from the mountain on Wednesday.
