Skier missing from closed section of Mt. Rose

Updated 4:56pm:

By Kathryn Reed

A skier who went into closed terrain at Mt. Rose ski resort Saturday has not been heard from since about 10:15am.

A pair of 60-something year old men hiked up to the chutes area of the resort on Dec. 10. One friend saw the other disappear into what he told authorities was an avalanche. He called 911 and the search began.

This is the most difficult terrain at Mt. Rose and had not opened for the season, so what the duo was doing was illegal. Plus, they had to hike to access this virgin snow because the Northwest chairlift that reaches this area was not operating Saturday.

At the time the pair was on the mountain a foot of fresh snow had fallen. But 4pm another foot had accumulated.

Rescue teams had to stop the search to do avalanche control.

Bob Harmon with Washoe County Sheriff’s Office told Lake Tahoe New at 4:55pm that the search has been called for the night. At about 4pm a team with dogs went in, with no luck in finding the 64-year-old man. The search will resume Sunday morning.

In addition to the resort’s ski patrol, teams from Washoe County search and rescue, REMSA, North Tahoe and Truckee Meadows fire departments, and Squaw Valley are helping.

“They were not wearing any backcountry gear, so no beacons, probes or shovels,”Mike Pierce, spokesman for the resort, told Lake Tahoe News.