As we're been reporting, a winter storm is hitting California, and it caused a major avalanche at the Palisades Tahoe resort this morning. It happened around 9 a.m. above the Gully area of the KT-22 peak. One person is dead and another injured.

After a slow start to winter, today was supposed to be the start of the KT-22 chairlift for the season but it was quickly cut short after the avalanche roared through a section of the trails. However, avalanches within ski area boundaries are typically rare.

So to find out what's going on here, KCBS Radio news anchors Bret Burkhart and Patti Reising spoke to Steve Merrifield, owner of Demo Sports in San Rafael, back country ski expert and former Ski Patrolman.