Police ask people to "use extreme caution" and be aware of weather conditions before recreating outside after separate tragedies claim 3 skiers.

Snowshoes are available to rent at shops around Lake Tahoe, for use in areas including Tahoe City Winter Sports Park, Tahoe XC, North Tahoe Regional Park, Tahoe Meadows atop Highway 431, the Camp Richardson area, and Sugar Pine Point State Park.

In Oregon's Cascade Mountains, an avalanche killed two backcountry skiers, while another was killed in an avalanche near South Lake Tahoe, authorities said.