A man who survived after being buried by an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe ski resort shared his story Thursday.
Jason Parker, 52, was one of four people swept up in Wednesday morning's avalanche that roared through a section of expert trails at the popular resort, KCRA reported.
Kenneth Kidd, a 66-year-old resident of nearby Truckee and Point Reyes, was killed in the avalanche. Parker and two others were injured.
"Initially it was slow," Parker told KCRA. "It was like, 'Oh, is this really happening?' I'm just trying to stay above it, kind of swimming down a little bit as much as I can. Once I got to the area where the steep gully is, it just accelerated. You could feel there was a lot more power to it at this point. I'm getting washed through the gully. Somehow, and I don't remember, but it flipped me onto my belly. Now I'm going down head first, trying to just swim to the top."
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The avalanche happened at about 9:30 a.m. near the KT-22 lift, which serves “black diamond” runs for skilled skiers and snowboarders.
"I was kind of looking up and trying to make sure my head's above when it does stop because it just kind of cements you in," Parker said. "Then I just got hit from the rest of the debris field that came down. It just buried me so quick."
The avalanche debris field spanned about 150 feet wide, 450 feet long and 10 feet deep, according to the sheriff’s office.
Parker told KCRA he estimates he was buried for about seven to eight minutes. He credited years of experience and formal avalanche training for keeping him alive.
"All I could think about, and I've taken an [avalanche] class, was maybe punch a hole with my right arm that wasn't sealed yet and make an air pocket," he said.
Parker told KCRA it was "real quiet" when he was trapped under the snow, aside from the times when he yelled out for help.
Then he felt someone's avalanche probe hit him in the back.
"It just jarred me," he said. "I was like, 'Oh, man!' And that's when I could hear the person above me just go "I found him!" or "We got him!" At that point, you know it's probably going to be OK, that you made it."
After he was pulled out, Parker hugged those who saved him and his fiancée, and then he continued skiing down the mountain, according to KCRA.
Meanwhile, a second avalanche was reported Thursday at round 12:30 p.m. near Wolverine Bowl on the Alpine side of the resort.
No skiers were caught in the avalanche and after a search, the lift reopened.
Part of the ski resort remained closed Thursday as the investigation into both incidents continue.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
