Reports are coming in from the Taos News that an avalanche has buried an unknown amount of skiers on Kachina Peak. The slide occurred today around noon and details remain limited as to what exactly triggered the avalanche.
Two people have been extracted by ski patrol and were transported to the base area’s medical facility at the time of this report. They are both alive.
At 11:30AM today, an inbounds avalanche occurred on the K3 shoot off of Kachina Peak. Taos Ski Valley Ski Patrol immediately responded to the scene.
The trigger of the avalanche is unknown at this time but a full investigation of the incident and its cause will be conducted.
— Taos Ski Valley (@TaosSkiValley) January 17, 2019
Rescue personnel are reportedly still searching for another submerged victim but it’s unclear whether there is anybody else still buried. What used to be hike-to terrain only, Kachina Peak became lift served in 2015 and opened to the public for the season just two days ago.
New information indicates the slide was triggered in one of the peak’s many chutes. Avalanche mitigation had been performed this morning prior to the slide.
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*We will update this story as more information becomes available.
Find the entire Taos News article here: Avalanche buries multiple people near Kachina Peak