Skiers Rescue Man Buried in Snow at Lake Tahoe Resort

A potential tragedy was averted at Palisades Tahoe Resort when two skiers found and rescued a man buried under deep snow. The incident occurred on February 18th, as captured in a striking video that shows two skiers gliding onto the slopes, only to spot two skis protruding from the snow. The only sign of the skier beneath was the bottoms of his hands clinging onto his ski poles.

One of the skiers, Carson Schmidt, later mentioned that they stopped for an unexplainable reason, just in time to notice something unusual amidst the whiteout conditions. “For some reason we stopped and just happened to see the tips of our skis,” he recalled.

As the skiers finished their run, one of them noticed something seemed off in the distance. “Hey, are they okay?” asked one skier, referring to the individual buried in the snow.

The two skiers quickly approached, immediately starting to dig into the snow to reach the buried man. As they worked, the man remained motionless, covered in a heavy layer of powder. There was a moment when a muffled sound seemed to escape from beneath the snow.

When one of the skiers finally reached him, he asked if the man was okay. The skier reassured them, and they continued their efforts to dig him out, ultimately successful in their rescue.

“I just want to remind you to ski safely and ski with your friends,” Schmidt emphasized in a social media post afterward. “At this depth, it doesn’t take an avalanche or a tree well to bury you.” It’s still unclear how the man ended up stuck beneath the snow. Attempts to get a comment from the resort have not been answered yet.

This event happened just a day after a separate tragedy occurred near Castle Peak, where nine backcountry skiers tragically lost their lives in a massive avalanche. These incidents highlight the perilous nature of winter sports.

The original group, differing from the buried skier, consisted of 15 individuals who were expected back from a three-day trip just as a winter storm descended on the area. All nine victims recovered from the avalanche included six women known as “supermoms,” many of whom were clients of Blackbird Mountain Guides. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon expressed heartfelt condolences during a recovery news conference, noting the widespread impact of this loss on families, friends, and the broader community.