NEWS DESK (MNN); At least eight skiers were killed and a ninth is presumed dead after a powerful avalanche struck California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, marking one of the deadliest single avalanche incidents in U.S. history, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The avalanche hit the Castle Peak area near Truckee, about 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe, around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. The snow slide — reportedly the length of a football field — engulfed a group of backcountry skiers who were concluding a three-day guided tour.
Rescue teams managed to reach six survivors despite severe winter weather that had blanketed the region with several feet of fresh snow. One skier remains missing.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said one of the rescued individuals is hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Survivors had taken shelter in a temporary structure made partly from tarpaulin sheets and were able to communicate their location through radio beacons and text messages.
Approximately 50 rescuers from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center were deployed, approaching the avalanche site from both north and south. Teams faced blinding snowfall and strong winds. A snowcat vehicle brought rescuers within two miles of the site before they proceeded on skis.
Authorities said the eight deceased skiers were found with their avalanche beacons activated. Recovery operations will continue once weather conditions improve. One of the victims was married to a member of the local search-and-rescue team.
The group had been participating in a guided trip organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides, staying at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts near Donner Summit at an elevation of about 7,500 feet. The excursion included four guides and 11 clients.
Sheriff Moon noted that avalanche warnings had been widely issued prior to the storm, and officials are reviewing the guide company’s decision to proceed with the trip. The Sierra Avalanche Center extended its high-danger warning through Wednesday.
Blackbird Mountain Guides stated it is cooperating fully with authorities in the rescue and investigation. Founded in 2020, the company operates in California, Washington state, British Columbia, and other international ski destinations.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, avalanches have claimed an average of 27 lives each winter in the United States over the past decade. Prior to this tragedy, six avalanche-related deaths had been reported this season.
