Snowmobiler Dies In Nevada County Avalanche After Snow Ledge Gives Way
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) - A snowmobiler out to take in the sights made a tragic mistake that cost him his life in the Nevada County backcountry.
Rescuers say a snowmobiler fell hundreds of feet to his death near Frog Lake. It was a rare type of accident that outdoor adventurers need to watch out for, they said.
The incident happened Saturday afternoon. The Nevada County Sheriffs Office said the man stepped off his snowmobile and onto a cornice and fell about 900 feet.
"Oftentimes, when you're standing on top of it, you have no idea that there's nothing under that lip of snow you're standing on," said Sarah Krammen, a board member with Tahoe Nordic Search And Rescue.
She was part of the rescue mission over.
"A snow cornice is oftentimes formed by huge wind events. So we have snow just whipped across the top of castle peak and that Frog Lake region," she said.
Krammen said when the snowmobiler near Frog Lake fell, he was swept away by a wind slab avalanche over cliffs and through rocks.
"One of the hardest parts is thinking a lot about the family and friends in our community who are affected by this type of event," she said.
The snowmobiler was airlifted from the scene and taken to Renown Hospital. First responders have not released his name yet. Two other snowmobilers who were with him survived.