Searchers Find Body of Skier

Search crews probing deep snow north of Lake Tahoe on Monday discovered the body of a cross-country skier who had been missing since New Year’s Day, when he was buried in an avalanche.

Using long rods to search the snow field, searchers recovered the body of Joseph A. Gashler, 37, of Pacific Grove under 4 feet of snow, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department. Gashler’s body was found about 10:25 a.m. near trees at the base of the avalanche, said Sheriff Keith Royal. Searchers discovered clothing and other gear in the shallow snow nearby.

The avalanche occurred in a remote, rugged area near Castle Peak, which is west of Truckee and north of Donner Summit.

Gashler and another man were cross-country skiing on Thursday when the avalanche occurred. The second man, who was not identified, managed to escape. But he was stranded by blizzard-like conditions and spent two days in a hut near Castle Peak. He called authorities to tell them of Gashler’s disappearance when another group of skiers found him and gave him a cell phone, authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies said the search for Gashler was complicated by 2 to 3 feet of new snow that had fallen since Thursday’s avalanche.