Man dies at Tahoe-area ski resort following ‘serious incident’ on expert trail
A skier from New York died Wednesday at Heavenly Mountain Resort near South Lake Tahoe, authorities and ski resort officials said.
The victim, a 46-year-old man, died following a “serious incident” on an expert run near the property’s Roundabout trail, Vail Resorts said in an emailed statement.
Heavenly ski patrol responded to the incident, and the man was pronounced dead at Heavenly’s California Lodge base area, according to the statement.
He has been identified by El Dorado County coroner’s officials as Wesley Whalen of New York.
“Heavenly Mountain Resort, Heavenly Ski Patrol, and the entire Vail Resorts family extend our deepest sympathy and support to our guest’s family and friends,” Tom Fortune, vice president of Heavenly and Vail Resorts’ Tahoe Region, said in a statement.
The incident happened in the wake of an extreme winter storm that dumped feet of snow across the Tahoe area earlier this week. Heavenly was the only major ski resort in the region able to stay open Monday and Tuesday, though shuttle access and several of its lifts were closed by the brunt of the storm.
Snowfall in the Sierra Nevada eased by Wednesday, but another major winter storm is forecast to begin Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
This story was originally published March 3, 2023 at 8:01 AM.
