Squaw Valley Patroller Joe Zuiches Passes Away

by The Editors January 25, 2017 Leave a Comment

Squaw Valley Resort, Calif. On Tuesday morning, Squaw Valley ski patroller Joe Zuiches passed away in an explosives-related accident. Zuiches, 42, was part of two, two-men teams deploying explosives on the resort’s Gold Coast Ridge. A resident of Olympic Valley, Calif., Zuiches had worked as a patroller for Squaw Valley since 2012. Prior to that, Zuiches guided with Shasta Mountain Guides, where he worked with AMGA guide Rich Meyer. “Joe was a great example of a guy who could lead a team to the top and back super safely,” Meyer said in a recent interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Squaw Valley was closed yesterday, January 24, in remembrance of Zuiches and reopens today. Zuiches is survived by his wife and infant son. Donations to help out his family via the Joe Zuiches Memorial Fund can be made here.

Photo courtesy of the Joe Zuiches Memorial Fund

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