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Tahoe-area ski employee dies after crashing snowmobile into rock

By KTVU staff
Published  November 10, 2023 6:37am PST
California
KTVU FOX 2

Tahoe worker killed in snowmobile crash during snowmaking operation

A Palisades Tahoe worker was killed in a collision involving a snowmobile during overnight snowmaking operations on the Alpine side of the resort.

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. - A Palisades Tahoe worker was killed in a collision involving a snowmobile early Thursday while he was conducting regular snowmaking operations, according to the California Highway Patrol and officials at the resort.

He crashed his snowmobile into a rock at Alpine Meadows just south of the resort, officials said. 

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 34-year-old Brian Gimbert of Tahoma.

He was last seen around 5 a.m. at the resort, according to CHP, and was discovered an hour later. 

The man was taken to Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee where he was pronounced dead,

Dee Byrne, the president and COO of the resort, told KCRA3 in Sacramento, the company ceased mountain operations while they grieve the loss of a coworker.

"We are taking a pause, an appropriate pause," Byrne said.

Speaking emotionally, Byrne added: "The team is broken. I am broken. But we are going to get through it together. We don't deal with this. We never want to deal with this."