Jason Parker Survives Avalanche Tragedy at Palisades Tahoe: A Miracle Escape from Snow Burial

Jason Parker, an experienced snowboarder, had a close brush with death on Wednesday when he was caught in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe ski resort in Olympic Valley, California. The incident occurred on the first day the KT-22 chairlift was open at the resort, and despite the low visibility and strong winds, Parker and his fiancée decided to hit the slopes on their day off.

Parker, 52, and his partner had a successful trip down the mountain before deciding to go back up and try a different path. It was during this second run that disaster struck. Parker felt the avalanche approaching and tried to stay above it, but was eventually swept off his feet and buried under several feet of snow. He described the feeling of being in the avalanche as being in a river that pulls you down. However, he managed to create an air hole in front of his face to breathe and call for help.

Rescuers, including ski patrol and Palisades Tahoe personnel, searched for people buried in the snow. Parker was lucky to be found alive, with only a slightly injured knee. Sadly, another man, Kenneth Kidd, did not survive the avalanche.

Parker expressed his gratitude to the rescuers and credited his training for helping him stay calm and breathe properly while trapped. He plans to return to the slopes once his knee has healed, determined not to let the incident deter him from his love of snowboarding.

The Palisades Tahoe ski patrol received praise from Parker, who acknowledged that they had done their due diligence before opening the KT-22 chairlift. He described the incident as shocking and emphasized that even experienced skiers and snowboarders can find themselves in dangerous situations.

Parker’s heart goes out to the man who lost his life in the avalanche and to the ski community as a whole. He considers himself incredibly lucky to have survived and hopes to put the pieces together by revisiting the trail on a clear day. Despite the lingering memory of the incident, Parker remains determined to continue doing what he loves.