Buried Skier Saved By Fast-Acting Friends at Palisades Tahoe
A blizzard dumped more than 100 inches of snowfall on Palisades Tahoe, California, last week.
The storm created dangerous avalanche conditions and caused Palisades, along with many of its neighboring ski resorts, to close entirely for multiple days at a time.
Carson Schmidt was skiing Palisades Tahoe's KT-22 lift with a friend on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, when they noticed a pair of skis sticking out from the snow.
His GoPro was rolling the entire time.
"Hey, are they good?" Schmidt says, pointing to the skis sticking out. The pair realizes quickly that a skier is still attached to the skis, and they hurry towards him.
Without much hesitation, Schmidt and his friend realize the severity of the situation and immediately begin digging to clear the buried skier's airway. This fast-acting response likely saved the buried skier's life.
Tap or click to watch the video in its entirety below. It's a great lesson in deep-snow safety, but more on that later. Keep reading for more.
The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.
Schmidt and his friend are being celebrated in the comments for how quickly they assessed the situation. Clearing the airway of an individual buried in an avalanche or deep snow is typically the first priority when performing a rescue, and they nailed it.
Schmidt also reminds his followers to "ski safe and ride with a buddy", an important tip, especially on deep snow days like this one at Palisades Tahoe.
Stay safe out there, friends!