A skiing accident Sunday at Palisades Tahoe took the life of Truckee teen Scotty Lapp.
Officials with the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District identified the student as Lapp, who was a sophomore at North Tahoe High School.
According to Palisades resort spokesperson Kat Walton, at around 2 p.m. there were two teenaged boys skiing on the Yellow Trail on the Alpine Meadows side of the resort when they collided.
An accomplished skier, Lapp was a member of the Palisades Tahoe Big Mountain Competition team. The other skier, who wasn’t identified, was on the Olympic Valley Freestyle team.
Lapp died as a result of his injuries in the collision. The other skier was flown to Renown Hospital in Reno where he is said to be recovering.
“Our hearts are broken at Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and our deepest sympathies are extended to the Lapp family and his friends,” the Truckee District said in a statement, where it announced extensive support measures would be available for students and staff.
A crisis counselor was at the resort Sunday offering comfort to the teammates of both skiers. Support services are also being offered for students at the high school.
The Olympic Valley Fire Department said its crews assisted in responding to a handful of skiing accidents at Palisades on Sunday, including the deadly one.
LOST NORTHSTAR SKIER: On Christmas Day, local skier Rory Angelotta was lost during blizzard conditions.
Kelsey Angelotta, the sister of the missing skier, was searching for her brother Saturday (Jan. 8) when she was given the news that his body had been found, two weeks after he went missing at Northstar California ski resort.
Rory Angelotta was located approximately a half mile from a residential neighborhood near Schaffer Mill Creek.
“He was found very, very far away from the mountain, hunkered down, with his skis laid out in front of him, and his hands over his heart,” Kelsey said. “I was able to carry his skis down the mountain with me today.”
Previously, an extensive search took place for six days in extreme conditions. There were no signs of Angelotta and search efforts were suspended December 30 when officials concluded that the Truckee resident was no longer alive.
