42-year-old snowmobiler buried, killed in avalanche

NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. (KCRA) – Fresh, untracked snow is part of the appeal of the backcountry.

For many, it’s a way to get away from crowded resorts and experience the mountains in a more quiet, natural setting.

“We explored some north aspects and they were really good. It was deep, fluffy,” Jeff Laforge, a skier, said. “It was really fun.”

But popular backcountry sites like Castle Peak also come with serious risks.

An avalanche swept through the area Monday afternoon, killing 42-year-old Chris Thomason.

Authorities said he was snowmobiling with friends when the avalanche was triggered and he was buried.

“When you’re in the backcountry, there are no groomed trails, generally speaking, especially when you’re working along the mountainsides on that side of it, there’s no preparations or preventions for avalanches out there,” Dustin Moe, with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, said.

Officials said the avalanche was human-triggered, likely by a snowmobile, and while the group had proper gear, the Oregon resident did not survive.

Authorities are emphasizing how quickly backcountry conditions can become dangerous, especially after rapid weather changes like rain, snow and sun.

“If there’s any trail that’s in place out there, it’s just from previous people’s efforts on getting into the trail systems in the backcountry,” Moe said. “It’s not something that is a groomed trail that’s put on by ski resorts.”

Despite Monday’s tragedy, many people were seen coming in and out of Castle Peak, drawn by the fresh snow. Some took a more cautious approach.

“It was kind of heavy and we came off Castle Peak and that was really wind-blown and kind of icy, but over by Frog Lake … the snow is really, really nice, it was beautiful,” Laforge said.

Others said they’re adjusting their plans due to avalanche conditions.

“It was good snow overall. I think we kept it mellow because of the avalanche conditions and were conservative in our terrain choices, but the snow was pretty good overall,” Matt Davis, a longtime skier, said.

Davis said careful terrain selection is key.

“It’s all about terrain selection and keeping the slope angle low,” he said. “Most avalanches trigger between 30 and 45 degrees, so we kept it below 30, and that’s a safe way to manage the terrain, and just look out for terrain traps and things like that.”

Copyright 2026 KCRA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

For more U.S. news, click here.