Update: Authorities announced the bodies of eight skiers have been recovered. Read the full update here.
Crews pushed through mountainous wilderness during a fierce winter storm to rescue six backcountry skiers who survived an avalanche near Lake Tahoe but were trapped by snow and ice, authorities said. Nine others from the guided tour group remain missing as perilous conditions continue to hamper the search.
Two of the rescued skiers were taken to a hospital for treatment, said Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Late Tuesday, February 17, the sheriff’s office clarified there were 15 skiers on the trip — not 16 as initially reported.
Search-and-rescue teams were dispatched to the Frog Lake area near Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe, after a 911 call reported an avalanche and multiple people buried.
Extreme weather in the Northern California mountains slowed the operation, and it took several hours for crews to reach the group and bring the survivors to safety, where they were evaluated by the Truckee Fire Department. The sheriff’s office said it would provide another update at a news conference on Wednesday, February 18.
The group, which included four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, was on the final day of a three-day backcountry trek when the avalanche struck around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the sheriff’s office and the guide company.
The skiers had spent two nights at backcountry huts on a route that required navigating rugged, mountainous terrain for up to four miles while carrying all food and supplies, said Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center, which had contact with people on the ground.
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were alerted by Blackbird Mountain Guides and by emergency beacons carried by the skiers. Rescuers advanced cautiously because of the risk of additional slides. Blackbird Mountain Guides said it is coordinating with authorities on the rescue operation. ABC News is reporting the survivors were taking cover under a tarp when they were found.
Dangerous backcountry conditions have gripped the Central Sierra Nevada amid a powerful winter storm bringing treacherous thunderstorms, high winds, and heavy snowfall.
The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee issued an avalanche warning for the Greater Lake Tahoe region beginning at 5 a.m. Tuesday, with large slides expected into Wednesday. Soda Springs, near where the avalanche occurred, recorded at least 30 inches of snow in 24 hours, according to Soda Springs Mountain Resort. Rapidly accumulating snow falling onto fragile layers of existing snowpack, coupled with gale-force winds, has created highly unstable conditions.
By Wednesday morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center said “HIGH avalanche danger continues” and advised that travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended. The center warned of “ongoing reactivity of these buried weak layers under this large storm snow load” and the continued potential for large to very large avalanches.
Whiteout conditions have been reported across the region, and the California Highway Patrol’s Truckee office cautioned that high winds were creating “full whiteout conditions” over Donner Summit. Interstate 80 over the summit was closed in both directions Tuesday and remained closed Wednesday morning due to poor visibility and hazardous conditions.
Several Tahoe ski resorts were fully or partially closed, though resorts with avalanche mitigation programs were not expected to face the same level of risk as unmanaged backcountry areas, officials said.
Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot mountain north of Donner Summit, is a popular but perilous backcountry destination. In January, an avalanche in the region buried and killed a snowmobiler, authorities said.
Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the United States, according to the National Avalanche Center. Training in avalanche assessment and rescue, along with proper safety equipment, is strongly recommended for those who venture into the backcountry.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon said the priority Tuesday night was caring for the six survivors; once that was complete, efforts would focus on locating those still missing. Helicopters were grounded and ground crews were slowed Wednesday morning by snowfall rates exceeding two inches per hour, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center.
Rescuers remain hopeful that the missing skiers’ beacons will help speed their location as conditions allow. Blackbird Mountain Guides said the group had been staying at the Frog Lake Backcountry Huts since Sunday en route to the trailhead when the slide occurred.
The sheriff’s office urged the public to heed avalanche warnings and avoid backcountry travel while crews continue their search. An update is expected at the Wednesday briefing.
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