Teen snowboarder rescued from backside of Northstar

A 17-year-old snowboarder was found by search and rescue teams late Saturday night after going missing from Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Thomas Groh of Novato was reported missing by friends at about 4:15 p.m. Saturday after last seeing him on the Challenger Run at Northstar, according to a Placer County Sheriff’s Department statement.

Groh was found out of bounds in good condition at about 10:30 p.m. near Forest Service Road 06 by members of the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Placer Sheriff and Northstar Ski Patrol. Weather conditions at the time of the search included high winds and heavy blowing snow.

Searchers were able to zero in on Groh’s location as he used his cell phone to give

a general location of his whereabouts, according to officials. Members of the search team were able to navigate to the area they believe Groh may have made the call from and found tracks in the snow. Soon thereafter he was rescued.