5 People Rescued From Under Squaw Valley Avalanche
SQUAW VALLEY (CBS13) — Two people were hospitalized Friday afternoon when heavy snow in Tahoe led to an avalanche at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, requiring rescue efforts by resort personnel and the Placer County Sheriff's Department.
According CBS13 in Sacramento, the incident happened at around 1:40 p.m. Friday near the Olympic Lady chairlift. Five people were caught in the avalanche. One was transported to the hospital with serious injuries, while another was treated and released. The other three were not injured.
Skiers banded together to help resort employees and sheriff's deputies rescue anyone trapped in the snow.
There are no reported fatalities in Friday's avalanche. The Placer County Sheriff's Department cleared the scene at about 5 p.m.
Ski resorts throughout the Sierra have seen several feet of snow fall since Wednesday, and more is expected in the forecast.
The avalanche came just hours after a missing snowboarder was found dead in a separate incident.
The guest, identified by the Placer County Sheriff's Office as 42-year-old Rocklin resident Wenyu Zhang, was reported missing around 9 p.m. Squaw Valley officials say Zhang last scanned a late-season season pass at the base of the Squaw Creek chair.
A Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue crew was out immediately once Zhang was reported missing. The crew searched overnight, but had to stop due to a high avalanche risk in the area.
