Backcountry Skier Survives Avalanche Near Mount Rose

Tom Darby

WASHOE COUNTY, Nev. — A backcountry skier is safe after surviving an avalanche near Mount Rose Summit on Christmas Day, thanks to a fast and coordinated rescue effort by multiple local emergency agencies.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team, along with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and REMSA, responded Wednesday afternoon after receiving a 911 call reporting a male skier had been partially buried by an avalanche in the backcountry near Mount Rose.

With weather conditions and daylight limited, rescue crews staged just west of Mount Rose Ski Resort. Using multiple tracking technologies and working closely with the Sierra Avalanche Center, teams were able to narrow down the skier’s location before deploying rescuers on skis and snowshoes into the backcountry.

The first Search and Rescue team to reach the area made verbal contact with the skier and developed a plan to pull him from the snow. Once they made contact, rescuers found the skier cold, wet, and exhausted after hours in the avalanche runout zone.

Officials say he was not injured and was able to walk on his own. Rescuers provided the skier with snowshoes and escorted him to REMSA for further medical evaluation.

During the rescue, the skier informed SAR members that the avalanche buried him completely and that he spent more than an hour digging himself out before he was able to access his cellphone and call 911.

Officials expressed gratitude for the positive outcome and credited the coordinated response for the successful rescue. Authorities urge anyone planning to recreate in the backcountry to take proper safety precautions, carry appropriate rescue equipment, and check current conditions before heading out.