Our Story

It was 1976 and two 12-year-old boys got lost off the backside of Tahoe’s Northstar ski area. At the time, there was no organized search and rescue protocol to find the boys. A series of desperate phone calls ensued, and the clock was ticking. One of the boy’s father, along with a group of volunteer skiers, headed out into the blizzard to search. It was too late. One of the boys died that day, but his death prompted the formation of the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue, and his father remains an important part of the organization.

Based in the Truckee-North Lake Tahoe area, Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue (TNSAR) is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that works closely with local sheriff’s departments and other agencies to conduct emergency search and rescue operations each year to those lost or hurt in the wilderness of the rugged Sierra Nevada range. The organization also works to promote winter and backcountry safety for all ages throughout the Tahoe community, including a program for local fourth grade students called Winter Aware. Our organization’s mission remains the same as it did on day one: conduct fast and safe rescues and educate the public on winter safety.

Each year TNSAR acknowledges the efforts of a particular member who goes above and beyond the call of duty. For the 2022-2023 season, Ksenya Gusak was selected as the Member of the Year.

Rescue Community

We can’t do this alone. We work closely with a number of local agencies, including:

TNSAR adheres to the mutual aid guidelines developed in part by the California Office of Emergency Services (OES) and specified in the Alpine Team Guidelines for SAR and Mutual Aid.

TNSAR also has excellent working relationships with the management and ski patrols of the Tahoe area’s downhill and nordic ski areas. The expertise and professionalism of these groups have been instrumental in the success of emergency search missions.