AUBURN, CA (MPG) - Anyone connected with the Alpine Meadows community knows about the infamous avalanche that struck nearly 40 years ago, killing seven people. Many more mountain lovers are unaware of the history or of the dangers inherent with any avalanche. That’s what inspired local filmmakers Jared Drake and Steven Siig to create "Buried," a documentary that shares the story of the deadly slide through the words of those who lived it. Q&A with filmmaker following the film.

In the early 1980s, the Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol were the undisputed gods of winter in Lake Tahoe, a sun-drenched wonderland of endless powder and parties. This sundry crew full of youthful hubris and a zest for explosives were guided by newly minted avalanche forecaster Jim Plehn. Thoughtful and strategic, Jim was a stickler for safety and protocol; he had to be at this avalanche-prone resort. The responsibility to keep the skiing public safe was an all-consuming obsession of the patrol crew, which made the day of March 31,1982, all the more devastating.

With the mountain closed due to high avalanche danger, an avalanche of unforeseeable magnitude broke free. Millions of pounds of snow hurtled down the side of the mountain demolishing the resort’s base area and burying the parking lot. The wreckage was unimaginable and for the shell-shocked patrol team there was no time to dwell, eight missing victims were buried in the slide - co-workers, friends, family - and every passing second was precious.

Over the next five days, through an unrelenting storm and unimaginable tragedy, the rescue team persevered. Innocence was lost, mortality faced, Mother Nature reckoned with, but through it all they never gave up hope for a miracle.

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUHeQneI4qs

Date & Time: Saturday, October 1, 2022 – 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, Q&A with filmmaker following the film.

Run Time: 1 hr. 41 min.

Admission: $10

Location: Auburn State Theatre, 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn CA

Box Office: AuburnStateTheatre.org or 530-885-0156