Tahoe Nordic community remembers Murnane
By Melissa Siig, Moonshine Ink
The North Shore Nordic community is reeling after the death of Kevin Murnane, the general manager of the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area and a fixture in the Tahoe City community. He died Feb. 24 on the trails of the Nordic center, a place that he helped build into a world-class cross-country ski destination and a community gathering place that was central to both his life and the entire North Shore. Murnane was 44 years old.
“He was the glue for the Nordic community in a lot of ways,” said Brendan Madigan, owner of Alpenglow Sports and a close friend of Murnane’s. “He created a meeting point for the community at large. His influence will always guide that in how it moves forward.”
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office received a call about 5:30pm Feb. 24 from Murnane’s wife of 18 years, Valli, who said that he had not been seen since she left for work that morning and he left for a walk near their home on the Nordic trails. A neighbor had reported that the dogs were out, which raised alarm bells for Valli. The Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team was brought in, and more than 30 people set out on foot, bike, motorcycle, and ATV to search for Murnane.