ALPINE MEADOWS (CBS13) – The latest on an avalanche at the Alpine Meadows Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe on Friday:
2:26 p.m.
The skier who died in the avalanche has been identified as 34-year-old Cole Comstock, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office says.
Comstock was from Blairsden, a community in Plumas County.
The other skier who was injured in the avalanche has not been named.
12:58 p.m.
Squaw Alpine officials say the search for any other possible victims of the avalanche was completed just before noon with no one else found.
More details about the avalanche were also released by resort officials. Squaw Alpine says avalanche happened around 10:16 a.m. in the area between Scott Chute and Promised Land, near Scott Chair. Members of the Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol responded immediately after the avalanche.
One skier, only identified as a male at this point, was pronounced dead by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office at 11 a.m.
Search has been stopped. We believe all victims have been recovered at #AlpineMeadows. pic.twitter.com/gZCBSj8iu2
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) January 17, 2020
A second skier suffered severe injuries to his lower body, officials say. He has been taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Witnesses in the area didn’t see any other people involved in the avalanche, Squaw Alpine says.
Exactly what caused the avalanche is being investigated.
12:35 p.m.
The sheriff’s office says they’re treating the avalanche at Alpine Meadows as an “isolated incident” and that ski resort remains open.
Only the area near the Subway ski run, near where the avalanche happened, is closed.
A search is still going on for any more potential unaccounted for victims.
12:04 p.m.
One person has died and another person was seriously injured in the avalanche at Alpine Meadows, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office says.
The avalanche happened near the Subway ski run, deputies say.
A team from Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue is at the scene looking for more potential unaccounted for victims.
11:28 a.m.
Several people are unaccounted for after an avalanche at Alpine Meadows on Friday morning.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office says they’re responding to the scene.
Placer County Sheriff’s deputies are currently responding to an avalanche that occurred at Alpine Meadows this morning. Search and Rescue is responding as well, as there are several unaccounted victims. More to follow. pic.twitter.com/F0UwdNbG5w
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) January 17, 2020
Search and rescue crews are looking for several unaccounted victims. An exact number has not been given by authorities.
Exactly when the avalanche occurred is unclear.
The Sierra Avalanche Center rated avalanche conditions on Friday as “considerable” for all elevations. Officials noted that the storm that moved through Northern California late this week brought a high degree of uncertainty to snowpack instability.
Caltrans says Highway 89 at Alpine Meadows remains open.
More information to come.