Experienced Snowmobiler Got Caught in Avalanche. His Friends Dug Him Out of the Snow, but He Didn’t Survive

Authorities have identified a 42-year-old snowmobiler from Oregon who died after being caught in an avalanche in Northern California.

According to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call around 2:19 p.m. local time on Monday, Jan. 5, reporting an avalanche involving a group of snowmobilers near Johnson Peak and Castle Peak outside Truckee.

In a follow-up update released Tuesday, Jan. 6, officials said five friends had set out earlier that day from the Johnson Peak area and successfully reached Castle Peak. The group was described as experienced and well-prepared for backcountry travel, carrying avalanche beacons and other safety equipment. One member of the group was also certified in CPR.

While returning from Castle Peak, an avalanche was triggered on the backside of the mountain, burying one of the riders. The victim was later identified as Chris Scott Thomason of Bend, Oregon.

Sheriff’s officials said the group immediately located Thomason using his beacon and began digging him out. After pulling him from the snow, they initiated CPR. Shortly afterward, three additional individuals who were not part of the group arrived on the scene. One of them was an off-duty Truckee Fire medic, who took over emergency care and helped coordinate rescue efforts.

Despite extensive lifesaving measures, Thomason did not survive.

By Monday evening, authorities confirmed that everyone else in the area at the time of the avalanche had been accounted for. Approximately 50 people participated in the rescue operation, and officials expressed gratitude to the responders, along with the four surviving friends and three bystanders who assisted in the emergency response.

According to the National Avalanche Center, Thomason’s death marks one of three avalanche-related fatalities reported in the United States so far during the 2025–2026 winter season.