By JOHN MILLER
jmiller@taosnews.com

Updated Jan. 17 at 2:25 p.m.

An avalanche buried two people today near Taos Ski Valley’s Kachina Peak, the highest point at Taos Ski Valley ski resort.

According to a press release from the resort, an “inbounds avalanche” occurred in chute four on Kachina Peak just before noon, burying at least two people near the base of the run.

Members of Taos Ski Valley Ski Patrol and other first responders searching the snow had extracted two skiers just before 1 p.m. and performed CPR on them, but are uncertain if anyone else may have been buried in the slide.

According to Chris Stagg, vice president of public affairs for the ski valley, the skiers – both male – were still alive and had been taken down the mountain to the resort’s Mogul Medical Clinic.

Other rescuers are using avalanche probes, shovels and the help of rescue dogs to search the area of the avalanche for anyone else who may still be buried beneath the snow, Stagg said.

According to Taos News photographer Morgan Timms, who was at the scene of the accident on Thursday, the snow from the avalanche is so deep that the probes, which are as long as 30 feet, could not reach the bottom of the snowpack.

A woman who spoke with Timms on the condition of anonymity said she could see – and hear – the moment of the collapse.

“I see two people trying to come down and a third person on the left. They were really good skiers it looked like,” she said and directed Timms attention to a point near the top of the steep run. “I turned my back to put my bindings on … and then I heard a sound. It sounded like an earthquake coming.”

The witness said a cloud of snow rushed down the run, but she couldnt’ see how many people were buried once it settled.

Medics with Taos County Emergency Services and firefighters with Taos Volunteer Fire Department are on standby at the base of the resort as the search continues.

The Kachina Peak Ski Valley lift, which provides easy access to expert terrain at the top of the mountain, opened on Jan. 15. It was built in 2015, providing access to sections of the mountain which were previously only accessible on foot.

Stagg said members of the mountain’s ski patrol team had detonated explosives in the area of Kachina Peak early Thursday morning in an effort to reduce the risk of avalanche.

While the rescue operation continues into Thursday afternoon, the Kachina Peak lift has been closed and lift four has been closed temporarily. Other lifts are still operating.

This is a developing story.

Photographer Morgan Timms and Cody Hooks contributed to this report.

Editor’s note: The Taos News shared this story and the photos with the Los Alamos Daily Post.