Woman killed in Palisades Tahoe ski accident has San Francisco ties
Snowfall at Palisades Tahoe
An unusually cold weather system from the Gulf of Alaska interrupted summer along the West Coast on Saturday, bringing snow to mountains in California and the Pacific Northwest and prompting the closure of part of a highway that runs through a national park.
OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. - A woman who died in a ski accident at Palisades Tahoe over the weekend has been identified.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman on Monday as Ellery "Ellie" Dolan Curtis, 26.
Fatal head injury
What we know:
Curtis was skiing near the resort’s KT-22 lift around 3:34 p.m. Saturday when she suffered a fatal head injury, according to the sheriff’s office. The incident occurred on the Ahh Chute trail, known for its challenging terrain, Powder Magazine reported.
Ski patrol responded within minutes, but Curtis died from her injuries.
Accomplished skier
Dig deeper:
A native of Waitsfield, Vermont, Curtis was a former member of the Dartmouth College ski team and an accomplished skier.
Curtis earned a spot on the All-America second team by placing eighth in the giant slalom at the NCAA Championships and also on the All-East second team as the seventh-ranked women’s alpine skier in the east.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in government and environmental studies.
She was based out of San Francisco and worked as a regulatory analyst for the California Public Utilities Commission.
"Ellie was a valued member of the CPUC, and she will be deeply missed. She came to the CPUC to protect the environment she cared about so deeply and was very excited about starting her career here. Our hearts go out to her family, friends, colleagues, and all who were touched by her kindness," agency spokesperson Terrie Prosper said in a statement.
The Source: Placer County Sheriff's Office, California Public Utilities Commission