Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol

STORY BY SEAN MCALINDIN, PHOTOS BY SARAH PITTIGLIO

FROM LEFT: Roger Yang conducts a beacon search drill with other unidentified patrollers. Graham Lierley and Roger Yang dig a test pit near Donner Summit. Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patroller Roger Yang.

Next time you’re exploring the Tahoe Sierra back country, don’t be surprised if you cross paths with a person wearing a signature red jacket adorned with white crosses. Nope, you didn’t just accidentally ski inside the resort boundary. You’ve met a member of Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol. Founded in the early 90s, Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol is an organization of volunteers dedicated to making winter wildlands safer for everyone. They are members of National Ski Patrol who focus their efforts on the public lands around Lake Tahoe and Truckee. TBSP provides community education, avalanche training and winter search-and-rescue services, as well as provide information and assistance for back-country travelers in the Tahoe and Humboldt-Toiyabe national forests. A collection of more than 50 skiers and snowboarders ranging in age from their 20s to 60s, the patrol skis together in groups of three or more every winter weekend from December to mid-April while responding to emergency calls sent through the Forest Service dispatch. All volunteers are trained in emergency medicine, winter travel/survival and search-and-rescue skills. Some members also work as patrollers at local ski areas, but the majority have days jobs. Recruiting director Steve Brown works for Electronic Arts video game company while splitting time between Truckee and the Bay Area. “Most of us have a desire to be out there helping people in the outdoor community, providing support and resources for them,” says Brown. “I think a lot of us enjoy the medical response training we get. It’s a group of people who are well-trained and experienced in the back country, and a good group of people from a social level to get out there to ski with.” Most of the back-country patrolling takes place in Tahoe National Forest, specifically in the sizeable Castle Peak area north of Donner Summit along Pacific Crest Trail. This is by far the most popular back-country destination in the region, not just among back-country skiers and snowboarders, but also snowshoers, winter campers and novice winter enthusiasts. Other patrol destinations include the corniced ridges and traverses adjacent to the ski resorts of Palisades Tahoe, Alpine Meadows and Sugar Bowl, Tahoe Meadows and its neighboring wilderness zones surrounding Mount

Rose and the popular back-country runs along Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. On patrol, volunteers carry medical supplies, two-way radios and the means to build a sled out of skis and poles. “We’re kind of there as a resource for people,” says Brown. “We answer questions about route-finding, conditions, what have you. Our most common contact is helping people who are lost or have equipment failures. We are not police or enforcers. We might just ask people, ‘Have you read the avalanche report today?’ We are very much nonconfrontational and educational in our approach. If something were to go wrong, we’re available to help. But those incidents don’t happen as often as you would see in a ski resort.” TBSP has partnered with Tahoe Backcountry Alliance to install “Know Before You Go” signs and avalanche beacon checkers at some of the most well-traveled trailheads. They’ve also mounted laser counters to monitor the number of people accessing these areas. Last season, the counters reported 13,386 users between December 2020 and April 2021 at Castle Peak and 2,327 at Incline Peak during the same period. The two groups plan to install more

counters at Tahoe Meadows, Mount Rose, Pole Creek, Luther Pass and other locations. The data gathered by this technology helps these organizations collaborate with nonprofits and foundations to apply for grant funding and provide input toward future parking and infrastructure improvements. As part of its mission, the Patrol offers reduced-rate avalanche training each winter season. They also provide the opportunity to schedule a ski-along with patrollers so people can learn more about the organization and what it does. Since back-country travel has grown in popularity in recent years, the need to spread to message of safe practices and etiquette has become more important than ever. “I think the first thing is just to be prepared with the right equipment and training so you can be safe in the back country with others around you,” says Brown. “Be realistic about your own capabilities and experience, plan your back-country travel accordingly. We’re really focused on that safety element and doing everything we can to give people the tools to build their awareness of the risks of being out there and how to manage those risks.” While the Patrol rarely stumbles on emergency situations during their appointed rounds, they do respond to search-and-rescue missions, often on the outskirts of ski resorts. “The gratitude and appreciation family members share with the people out overnight looking for their loved ones, that is a humbling experience,” says Brown. “Even if it’s happening a handful of times a season, it’s pretty impactful and gives us a sense of deeper meaning and purpose beyond just enjoying the outdoors.” Fortunately, most days on patrol are a lot simpler. “When the conditions are good, you’ve got a crew of people you’re out with, you’ve got great skiing and you’re interacting with other people out on the trail — you’re part of a community that appreciates what makes Tahoe so great,” says Brown. | tbsp.org n

- Steve Brown

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Heavenly Mountain | South Lake Tahoe | March 26 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | (775) 586-7000

Diamond Peak Ski Resort | Incline Village | March 26-27 9 a.m. | (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

South Lake Tahoe Library | South Lake Tahoe | March 26, April 2 10:30 a.m. Free | engagedpatrons.org

Auburn Ski Club Training Center | Soda Springs | March 26 10 a.m. $10 | asctrainingcenter.org

Northstar California Resort | Truckee | March 26-27 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | (800) 466-6784, northstarcalifornia.com

Diamond Peak Ski Resort | Incline Village | March 26 10:30 a.m. | (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Valley | March 27 | (800) 403-0206, mothershipclassic.com

Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center | Truckee | March 27 9 a.m. | tahoedonner.com

Diamond Peak Ski Resort | Incline Village | March 27 | (775) 832-1177, facebook.com

South Lake Tahoe Library | South Lake Tahoe | March 28, April 4 10 a.m. Free | engagedpatrons.org

Incline Village Library | Incline Village | March 29, April 5 11:30 a.m. Free | (775) 832-4130, events.washoecountylibrary.us

KidZone Museum | Truckee | March 29, April 5 3-4:30 p.m. | kidzonemuseum.org

Incline Village Library | Incline Village | March 29 6:30 p.m. Free | (775) 832-4130

Kings Beach Library | Kings Beach | March 29, April 5 10:30 a.m. Free | (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov

Incline Village Library | Incline Village | March 29 4 p.m. Free | (775) 832-4130

area venues | Incline Village | March 29 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $17-$21 | yourtahoeplace.com

Incline Village Library | Incline Village | March 30 4 p.m. Free | (775) 832-4130

Virtual | Incline Village | March 31 12-1 p.m. Free | tahoe.ucdavis.edu

Boreal Mountain | Truckee | April 1-3 8 a.m. | rideboreal.com

Heavenly Mountain | South Lake Tahoe | April 2 1-4 p.m. | (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency | Stateline | April 2-3 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | tahoerimtrail.org

For Goodness Sake | Truckee | April 3 12-2 p.m. Free | goodnesssake.org

The Loft at Raley’s O | Truckee | April 5 6-8 p.m. | chamber.truckee.com

South Lake Tahoe Library | South Lake Tahoe | April 6 10 a.m. Free | engagedpatrons.org

Boreal Mountain | Truckee | April 6 | rideboreal.com

Incline Village Library | Incline Village | April 6 4-5 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, events.washoecountylibrary.us Located in the Boatworks Mall, Tahoe City · SteveSchmiersJewelry.com · 530.583.5709