Skiers Rescue Buried Man in Deep Snow at Palisades Tahoe

Two skiers at Palisades Tahoe resort in California rescued a man buried upside down in deep snow on February 18, 2026, pulling him to safety just in time to prevent suffocation during hazardous post-blizzard conditions.

Carson Schmidt and his skiing partner were descending a run between the KT-22 and Olympic Lady lifts when they spotted the tips of a pair of skis protruding from the powder amid near-whiteout visibility. "Hey, are they good?" one of them asked in footage captured on Schmidt's GoPro camera, as they paused to investigate. Realizing a skier remained trapped and attached to the skis, the pair rushed over and began digging frantically through mounds of fresh snow. The buried man, who had fallen and become immobilized, did not move as they worked. A muffled sound emerged from below, prompting one rescuer to respond, "We got you." After uncovering his hand gripping a pole and freeing his upper body, they confirmed he was disoriented but alive and breathing.

The incident occurred the day after the resort shut down operations at noon on February 17 due to high winds, heavy snowfall, and poor visibility. Palisades Tahoe had received 44 inches of new snow that morning...