A heart-stopping rescue video has gone viral after Sacramento skier Carson Schmidt saved a man buried alive at Palisades Tahoe.
The incident occurred on February 18, 2026, between the KT-22 and Olympic Lady runs during a period of heavy, “water-like” snowfall.
Schmidt and a friend were navigating the deep powder in whiteout conditions when they spotted two ski tips poking through the surface.
Schmidt recalled the moment of realisation, stating, “For whatever reason we just stop below and I see ski tips and next thing you know, you just kind of go into go mode and just dig him out till you can find his face.”
The man was buried four feet deep, face down and unable to scream.
As the pair cleared the snow, Schmidt noted, “You hear a big inhale once the snow is off his face,” through the victim’s skin had already turned blue. Once freed, the man was disoriented and in shock; Schmidt mentioned, “He was in total shock, like all he wanted to find was his wife.”
The rescued skier eventually regained enough strength to ski away. Reflecting on the close call, Schmidt shared the footage as a safety warning, saying:
“Just want it to be a reminder to ski safe and ski with a buddy. It doesn’t have to be an avalanche or a tree well to get buried when it’s that deep.”
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