North Bay Snowboarder Found Dead At Tahoe Ski Resort

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A North Bay man reported missing last week after going snowboarding alone was found dead at a Lake Tahoe-area ski resort, the Placer County Sheriff-Coroner's Office said.

Danieson Crowder, 40, of Vallejo, left for his snowboarding trip Monday, March 11 and was reported missing Wednesday, March 13, authorities said. A Northstar California Resort ski patrol began searching inside the resort while the Placer County Sheriff's Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue team began searching outside of it.

Tragically, Northstar ski patrol found his body that same day, upside down in a tree well with deep and loose snow at the base of the tree, the Placer County Sheriff-Coroner's Office said Saturday in identifying him.

Placer County sheriff's Sgt. Dave Hunt said especially high snow levels have created hazards for skiers and snowboarders this year.

By noon Monday, a GoFundMe page set up to help Crowder's surviving family members with funeral expenses had raised over $7,500 toward its goal of $10,000. The page describes Danieson "D-Boy" Crowder as an avid snowboarder and season-ticket holder for over a decade who went for an overnight trip to the snow at Northstar Tahoe.

Crowder's parents and brother are "going through an unbelievably rough time" following the sudden, unexpected and unfortunate nature of his passing, according to the GoFundMe campaign page titled "Team d-boy."

"If you knew D-Boy you were accustomed to his contagious smile and generous nature," organizers wrote, inviting those who knew him to pay their respects at noon Friday at Skyview Memorial Lawn, 200 Rollingwood Drive in Vallejo.

"We are asking for donations to help offset these unexpected expenses," organizers of the page wrote.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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