Ski patrolman found at Heavenly Resort is second death on Tahoe slopes in a week

A 36-year-old California ski patrolman has been identified as the second person to die in a deadly week on the slopes of Lake Tahoe’s ski resorts.

On Saturday, Christopher John Nicholson of South Lake Tahoe was found unconscious on the Mott Canyon area of Heavenly Ski Resort, the sheriff’s office in Douglas County, Nevada, announced Monday.

A helicopter flew the ski patrolman to Carson Valley Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead, officials said.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Washoe County Coroner’s Office are still attempting to identify a cause of death. Officials said Monday in a Facebook post no further information was available.

“Heavenly Mountain Resort, Heavenly Ski Patrol and the entire Vail Resorts family extend our deepest sympathy and support to our employee’s family and friends,” Tom Fortune, vice president and general manager of Heavenly Mountain Resort, said in an emailed statement.

The Mott Canyon run where Nicholson was found unconscious is a double black-diamond, one of the resort’s most dangerous areas where only expert-level skiers should go.

Nicholson’s death came a day after Cole Comstock, 34, of Blairsden, California, and another skier were caught in a 10:16 a.m. avalanche at Alpine Meadows resort near the ski run known as Subway Cirque, located off the Scott chairlift.

Comstock died. The other skier, whose name hasn’t been released, suffered serious injuries.

This story was originally published January 20, 2020 at 12:44 PM.