Rescuers recovered the bodies of eight backcountry skiers Wednesday after a massive avalanche swept through California’s Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe, marking the deadliest such disaster in the state’s modern history.
The tragedy unfolded Tuesday morning when an avalanche, roughly the length of a football field, overtook a group of 15 people—11 clients and four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides—during their return from a three-day backcountry trip to the Frog Lake huts.
Authorities received the initial distress call around 11:30 a.m.
First responders, including more than 40 personnel and skilled ski rescue teams from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, battled ferocious blizzard conditions to reach the scene.
They located and evacuated six survivors by late Tuesday evening; those individuals suffered non-life-threatening injuries and received hospital treatment.
Tragically, search teams confirmed Wednesday that eight of the nine initially missing skiers had perished.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon announced the grim findings at a news conference and shifted the operation from rescue to recovery.
One skier still eludes searchers, though officials presume the individual deceased amid the extreme weather.
Moon described the conditions as far beyond severe.
“Extreme weather conditions—I would say is an understatement: lots of snow, gale-force winds, winds making it impossible to see,” the sheriff stated.
Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo urged the public to steer clear of the Sierras.
“Please avoid the Sierras during this current storm and in the upcoming days, avoid mountain travel.
It’s treacherous,” Woo pleaded.
A powerful winter storm dumped several feet of fresh snow across the region, with Sugar Bowl Resort recording 67 inches in the past week, including 30 inches from Tuesday into Wednesday.
The National Weather Service had warned of up to eight feet of accumulation above 3,500 feet and wind gusts reaching 55 mph, heightening avalanche risks that experts already rated as severe.
Some victims connected to Sugar Bowl Academy, a private ski-focused school.
Executive Director Stephen McMahon expressed profound sorrow: “We are an incredibly close and connected community.
This tragedy has affected each and every one of us… The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support while providing the necessary space and time for grief and healing.”
Captain Russell Green of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the inherent dangers of backcountry skiing.
“People go out and use the backcountry at all times… We advise against it, obviously, but I wouldn’t say that it’s uncommon. Not that it was a wise choice.”
This incident stands as the deadliest U.S. avalanche in nearly 50 years and underscores the perils of backcountry pursuits during high-risk winter storms.
Authorities continue recovery efforts as conditions permit, while the community mourns the devastating loss.
