Tahoe Nordic Search And Rescue Team Inc Po Box 7703

THE TAHOE NORDIC SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM (TNSAR) ... WAS CONCEIVED IN 1976 AS A RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF A BOY LOST OFF THE BACK SIDE OF NORTHSTAR-AT-TAHOE SKI AREA DURING A BLIZZARD. THERE WAS, AT THE TIME, NO ORGANIZED BACKCOUNTRY TEAM TO HELP SEARCH FOR THE BOY. DESPERATE PHONE CALLS TO SOME LOCAL NORDIC SKIERS PRODUCED A SEARCH PARTY THAT EVENTUALLY LOCATED THE YOUTH, BUT ONLY AFTER IT WAS TOO LATE. THIS GROUP OF SKIERS, ALONG WITH THE BOY'S FATHER (WHO TODAY STILL REMAINS A TNSAR MEMBER), REALIZED THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT VOID TO BE FILLED. THUS, THE TAHOE NORDIC SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM WAS BORN. BASED IN THE NORTH LAKE TAHOE/TRUCKEE AREA, THE TEAM HAS MATURED CONSIDERABLY AFTER THESE MANY YEARS BUT THE GOALS REMAIN THE SAME: CONDUCTING FAST, SAFE RESCUES AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON WINTER SAFETY. IN FEBRUARY 2006 THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES COMPLETED THE ALPINE TEAM GUIDELINES FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE MUTUAL AID, A DOCUMENT THAT WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS

TNSAR IS CALLED OUT MANY TIMES EACH YEAR RESPONDING TO A VARIETY OF SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS. WANDERING CHILDREN, LOST HUNTERS, URBAN DISASTERS, MUD SLIDES, AVALANCHES, SKI LIFT EVACUATIONS, DOWNED AIRCRAFT, AND SNOW- BOUND SHEPHERDS: THESE ARE BUT A SAMPLING OF THE INCIDENTS THAT THE TEAM HAS RESPONDED TO THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA. NO TWO "CALLOUTS" ARE EVER THE SAME. THE MAJORITY OF TNSAR'S RESPONSES, HOWEVER, ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS LOST IN THE WINTER WILDERNESS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA. TNSAR HAS LOCATED HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS; THE MAJORITY OF THESE HAVE BEEN PATRONS OF A SKI RESORT THAT HAVE STRAYED FROM THE AREA'S BOUNDARY INTO UNFAMILIAR AND RUGGED MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. THE MAJORITY OF THESE SEARCHES (AND RESCUES) HAVE HISTORICALLY OCCURRED AT NIGHT AND DURING POOR WEATHER. TNSAR HAS CONDUCTED SEARCHES ORIGINATING FROM MOST ALL OF THE LAKE TAHOE SKI AREAS, AND HAS MAINTAINED AN UNRIVALED SUCCESS RATE FOR FINDING THESE LOST RECREATIONISTS.