Twin Bridges, CA – A powerful winter storm that has been battering California ski resorts with nearly incomprehensible amounts of snow, but also rain and high winds, resulted in an accident on Sunday morning that knocked five riders from a chairlift at Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in Twin Bridges.nHigh winds toppled a tree Sunday morning that fell onto the cable of the resort’s West Bowl chairlift, knocking the five unidentified victims five to 15 feet to the ground. No serious injuries were reported.

As winds increased, Sierra-at-Tahoe resort officials decided to close the resort at 11 a.m. for the rest of the day on Sunday. Resort officials plan to reopen at 9 a.m. on Monday, with the Puma lift in operation until lift mechanics clear the West Bowl chairlift.