What started as a storm-day lap at Palisades Tahoe turned terrifying for two Sacramento skiers last week, when they spotted the tips of a pair of skis poking out of at least four feet of powder. Buried beneath the surface was a man, head down and feet up, gasping for air in near-whiteout conditions until the pair dug down to clear his airway, according to their account and a video that has been shared widely online. The close call, they say, is a blunt reminder that on heavy snow days you should not be riding alone.
As reported by CBS Sacramento, Carson Schmidt and a friend were skiing when they noticed that single ski tip and immediately started shoveling with their hands, aiming for where the victim's head should be so they could free his airway. Schmidt filmed the rescue and told the station, "As soon as we realized that he was head down, feet up, we realized he can't breathe," and the video captures what he described as a "big inhale" once enough snow was cleared. The skiers said the man's arm was limp and that at least four feet of powder had him pinned, and CBS Sacramento also notes that both rescuers work at Land Park Ski and Sports in Sacramento.
Schmidt later posted the footage to Threads and wrote that the run was between KT and Olympic Lady on Wednesday, Feb. 18, according to India Today. In that post, the pair urged others to ski with a partner, saying that having a buddy right there made the difference in this case. The clip has since bounced around social platforms as a stark reminder of how fast deep powder can flip from dream conditions to a life-threatening trap.
A deadly stretch for Tahoe skiers
The rescue played out during a grim week for Tahoe backcountry users, after a massive avalanche near Castle Peak claimed nine lives and triggered a large, multi-agency recovery effort. As outlined by KQED, the Castle Peak slide, along with other recent incidents, has prompted renewed warnings about traveling in heavy-storm conditions and spurred investigations into the guided trip involved in that avalanche. Authorities are urging the public to take avalanche forecasts seriously and stay out of exposed backcountry terrain when the danger rating is high.
How to avoid snow-immersion accidents
Ski-safety groups warn that snow-immersion suffocation, sometimes involving tree wells or simply very deep powder, can be fatal in minutes, and that the simplest prevention tools are the buddy system and sticking to groomed runs when storms are dumping heavy snow. The National Ski Areas Association safety guide recommends keeping partners in constant sight, steering clear of tree wells, and going straight for a buried skier's airway first if someone goes under; see detailed safety guidance from NSAA. Resorts also post mountain reports and closure notices so guests can gauge whether conditions are really as rideable as they look from the parking lot.
"I hope my post brings awareness to the skiing community to ski with a friend," Schmidt told CBS Sacramento, adding that a basic buddy system and fast action were what kept this from turning into a tragedy. For now, the rescued skier is described as shaken but alive, and the viral clip is circulating as a sobering reminder for powder chasers on big storm days: in snow this deep, you may not get yourself out without someone right beside you.
