A man and his 18-month-old son had to be airlifted to safety during a bike ride last week when they encountered heavy snow in the high country near Lake Tahoe.
The man and his toddler were out for a mountain bike ride Thursday afternoon in the area of Freel Peak, the highest mountain in the Lake Tahoe Basin, when snow completely blocked their path on the trail. The man tried to push through the snow, but quickly became exhausted. His son also began to “show signs of extreme discomfort,” which led the man to believe the child needed medical attention, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office’s search-and-rescue coordinator, volunteers and the agency’s helicopter responded to the shoulder of Freel Peak to help the man and boy. They were flown to the South Lake Tahoe airport where they were treated by paramedics.
Additional information about their conditions was not immediately available on Wednesday.
The Sheriff’s Office warned that visitors on the trails should prepare for conditions that can differ significantly between high and low elevations.
“As the temperature climbs in the lower elevations please remember that there is still snow in the high country,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a post on social media. “For everyone who adventures in El Dorado County, remember to be prepared and stay safe.”
The Tahoe Rim Trail Assn., which provides updates on trail conditions, wrote on its website Tuesday that areas above 9,000 feet and north- and east-facing slopes still have snow. Hikers should expect soft, wet, slushy or muddy conditions during warmer parts of the day and snow across much of the trail at high elevations and in shaded areas, the organization said.
