Norden, CA – Searchers will return to the Sierra Nevada mountains surrounding Sugar Bowl ski resort this morning to resume their search for a ski instructor missing since Thursday.
Carson May, 23, was last seen skiing off-duty at Sugar Bowl on Thursday afternoon, and friends reported him missing on Friday when he failed to return home. His personal belongings were found in his locker at the resort.
The last ping from May’s cell phone was located on the back side of the resort in sidecountry where numerous avalanches were spotted.
Avalanche conditions restricted ground searchers on Sunday, while bad weather hampered searches from the air.
“Despite great efforts by 60 searchers at Sugar Bowl Resort today, we were unable to locate Carson May, 23, the missing ski instructor who was last seen skiing on Thursday afternoon,” the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release issued Sunday night. “But we’ll be back out there tomorrow morning with more dedicated search teams! Today we had our own Placer County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue teams, as well as those from Nevada, Douglas, and El Dorado counties; Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue; Bay Area Mountain Rescue; Marin Mountain Rescue; U.S. Forest Service; Sugar Bowl Ski Patrol; and National Ski Patrol.”
Search teams at the scene on Sunday included dogs, searchers, probe teams, and avalanche specialists.
“Tomorrow, we begin our efforts at 8 a.m. with plans for 50 searchers from the same teams from today. If weather permits, we have two helicopters at the ready. We’ll also have two snowcats and six snowmobiles,” the Sheriff’s office added.
Weather conditions are expected to worsen in the area today, with heavy snowfall expected.