Avalanche Kills Man in Sierra Resort Area

An avalanche crashed down a steep slope in this Sierra ski resort community Wednesday morning, burying a 20-year-old man and his 11-year-old nephew. Officials said the boy escaped unharmed almost immediately, but his uncle was found dead about three hours later.

Rescuers with probing sticks dug feverishly until they were certain no others had been trapped in the 100-yard-wide pile of snow.

The avalanche occurred at 11:55 a.m., a few hours after one the most powerful winter storms in years had dumped up to five feet of snow in the mountains around Mammoth Lakes. The snowfall added to an already substantial snowpack in the Sierra, and the total accumulation in some places was said to be more than 12 feet deep.

Witnesses said as many as a dozen people had been playing in the snow at the base of Sherwin Bowl when the snow on the northeast face of the ridge above them gave way.

The witnesses called for help, and a search was launched by police and fire crews from the city of Mammoth Lakes, along with personnel from the Mammoth Lakes Ski Patrol, the Mono County Sheriff’s Department and the June Lake Search and Rescue Team.

“When I arrived, the boy was already out,” said Bruce MacAfee, the Mammoth Lakes police chief. “He actually swam with the avalanche and was able to free himself.”

Marc Hannon, 26, a member of the Mammoth Lakes Volunteer Fire Department, said the first thing searchers found was the boy’s snow board, which was buried about 20 feet from where the boy had clawed his way out.

“We found a hat 20 feet beyond that, then a binding for the snow board,” Hannon said. “We discovered a dog that had been killed. . . .

“For the next three hours we were probing. Five minutes after we were relieved by some other searchers, they found the other guy. He was buried in the snow next to a tree.”

The man was rushed by ambulance to nearby Mammoth-Centinela Hospital, where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. The boy was treated at the hospital for minor back pains and released.

The identities of the man and boy were withheld pending notification of their families.

Officials called off the search about an hour after the man was found, satisfied that there were no other victims.

The National Weather Service had issued an avalanche warning for the eastern Sierra, including the Mammoth Lakes area, about an hour and a half before the avalanche occurred.

The avalanche raises questions about plans for a new ski resort in Sherwin Bowl. Studies are under way on the best methods for controlling avalanches in the event that the new resort is built.

The bowl is a couple of miles from the main Mammoth Mountain ski resort, one of the largest skiing facilities in the world. The area is packed to capacity with vacationers for the peak winter holiday season.

In Tahoe City, about 125 miles to the north, sheriff’s deputies were using dogs Wednesday to search for 31-year-old Paul W. McCarthy of San Francisco, missing since he left a bar just after midnight Monday at the height of the storm.

Placer County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Hazlett said McCarthy was drunk and was not wearing a coat when he left the bar.

The two principal highways across the Sierra--Interstate 80 and U.S. 50--were reopened Wednesday morning after being closed for more than 24 hours by snowdrifts up to 10 feet deep. Most other major roads in the area were still closed.

Traffic was limited on I-80 Wednesday afternoon to light vehicles and trucks carrying perishable goods, and Caltrans officials said an approaching storm system threatened to close both I-80 and Highway 50 to all traffic again before dawn today.

“It’s going to start all over again,” said Ed Clark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

About 70 trucks and buses were parked at casinos beside I-80 in Reno on Wednesday, waiting for the six-lane freeway to be reopened to heavy vehicles.

Scores of motorists had spent Tuesday night sleeping on casino floors, waiting for the road to reopen to cars, vans and a few of the trucks on Wednesday morning. Many of those waiting were unable to wile away the time playing slot machines because the casinos were blacked out by downed power lines.

Nevada Gov. Bob Miller had sent more than 3,000 state workers home for the day on Tuesday as the snow made most roads impassable in Carson City. A courthouse in Sparks, Nev., held hearings by flashlight during a blackout.

Although the snow caused many problems, it came as a blessing to water officials in California, who said it gave promise of a possible end to the state’s prolonged drought.

The Sierra snowpack, prime source of water for urban Californians, was above normal for the date for the first time in seven years. Although they were optimistic, the officials said the snowfall would have to continue above normal for the rest of the winter to bring an end to the statewide water shortage.

Meanwhile in Southern California, mountain resorts enjoyed some of the best skiing conditions in the last decade and Tournament of Roses officials rejoiced at the prospect of clear, sunny skies for the parade on New Year’s Day.

Times correspondent Forstenzer reported from Mammoth Lakes; staff writer Malnic reported from Los Angeles. Correspondent Bennett Kessler in Independence contributed to this story.

Deadly Avalanche

An avalanche in the Mammoth Lakes area killed a 20-year-old man. The entire avalanche area was searched but no other victims were found.