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Avalanche — Greater Lake Tahoe Area, California
January 14, 2016 · NOAA Storm Events record
Event narrative (NOAA)
A ski instructor exited into the backcountry from the Sugar Bowl ski area on the afternoon of the 14th. When he failed to return home that night, he was reported missing (on the 15th). Tracking and location information from his phone placed him on the backside of Mount Judah in an area with recent avalanche activity...however, inclement weather forced the suspension of the search on the 19th. ||On February 29, search and rescue teams using the cell phone information and dogs located the skier under 5 feet of snow. The time of the avalanche was estimated by the Sierra Avalanche Center.
Other notable avalanche events in California
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.