Nordic Search and Rescue

The Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team 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 ski 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 one of the Nordic Team's most active members), learned 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 20 years but the goals remain the same; Conducting fast, safe rescues and educating the public on winter safety. The Nordic Team consists of a wide variety of individuals. The Team has EMT's, emergency room nurses, firefighters, professional ski patrollers, paramedics, and MD's as active members. The level of medical, mountain, and skiing skills among the members is very high. In addition to the search and rescues, about 100 people handle Team committees such as training, dispatch, education, equipment upkeep, bookkeeping, the monthly newsletter, and the organization of The Great Ski Race (the main fund raising event for the Team). General meetings are held the first Monday of each month, October through May, at the Granlibakken Ski Hut in Tahoe City at 7:00pm. New members are always
encouraged to join this fun and diverse group. For more information, contact Russ Viehmann at russviehmann@gmail.com or webmaster@tahoenordicsar.com