8 backcountry skiers killed after California avalanche; 6 survivors have been rescued
Eight of nine skiers buried in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains amid heavy snow and “extreme weather conditions” have died, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
An avalanche in the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday triggered a large search operation as crews race to locate missing backcountry skiers.
(CNN) — Eight of nine skiers buried in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains amid heavy snow and “extreme weather conditions” have died, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
One is still missing, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said.
Six skiers participating in the threeâday backcountry trip had previously been rescued with “various injuries,” the sheriff’s office said, and were taken to a hospital for treatment. One was released Tuesday night, Capt. Rusty Greene said, and the other is expected to be released Wednesday.
“We did have conversation with the families of the folks that are that are still outstanding and let them know that our mission has went from a rescue to a recovery,” Moon said.
Emergency crews received reports of the avalanche in the Castle Peak area of Truckee around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. (Photo Credit: Facebook/Nevada County Sheriff's Office via CNN Newsource)
“It’s a difficult conversation to have with loved ones,” she said. “I can’t even imagine the amount of questions and stress that those families are going through right now.”
Three-day backcountry trip
The skiers were on the final stretch of a threeâday backcountry trip near Lake Tahoe in Northern California and were returning to the trailhead Tuesday morning when a wave of ice, rocks and debris came crashing down on them.
The avalanche spanned about a football field’s length of the mountain, according to Chris Feutrier, USDA forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest.
The avalanche struck, he said, when “a persistent weak layer had a large load of snow over the top of it. That persistent weak layer is still there and has reloaded with another three feet of snow - so the hazard remains high.”
In the avalanche’s wake, survivors were left scrambling to try to find the rest of their group — and to improvise shelter as they awaited rescue.
The disaster at Castle Peak set off a dangerous, hourslong rescue effort hampered by heavy snow and strong winds from the winter storm roaring through the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains.
Emergency crews received reports of the avalanche around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and about 50 rescuers were deployed, Moon said.
The sheriff described the rescuers as “skilled” but working through “extreme weather conditions” including snow and gale force winds, making for low visibility.
Snow falls on Tuesday in Truckee, California. Crews were looking for multiple backcountry skiers feared missing after a reported avalanche. (Photo Credit: Brooke Hess-Homeier/AP via CNN Newsource)
Eleven hours later, six survivors had been rescued with “various injuries,” according to the sheriff’s office, noting two had to be transported to the hospital for treatment and nine were reported to be missing.
“Eight of the nine additional skiers have been located deceased. We are still looking for one of the members at this time. Due to the ongoing challenges of the weather, the avalanche conditions, the effort remains ongoing, as well as our search for the remaining skier,” Moon said.
Rescue teams are not limited by resources, she said, but are confronting “weather condition and safety condition” challenges.
Warning signs of an avalanche
The area was under the second highest level, a 4 of 5, of avalanche threat Tuesday, which continued into the early hours of Wednesday.
“Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely,” the National Weather Service warned. “Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during high avalanche danger.”
Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company leading the trip, recognized the danger as well, posting a reel on Facebook two days before that avalanche about the condition of the snow, “This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!” It added, “Pay close attention to places where faceting has been particularly strong – avalanches could behave abnormally, and the hazard could last longer than normal … use extra caution this week!”
An avalanche warning remains in effect for the greater Lake Tahoe area through 5 a.m. Thursday, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center. Fresh snow – though still below normal levels – means there’s high danger in the backcountry for large avalanches.
Remote, undeveloped and isolated areas of wilderness are often called “backcountry.”
As they continue to search, rescue crews face additional rounds of snow, gusty winds and more avalanche danger this week that could hinder efforts.
Snow blankets the roads, ground and treetops in video of the area released by the California Highway Patrol. The video warns drivers not to be fooled by the clear sky – the roads remain “covered in ice, cold, and slick.”
Blackbird Mountain Guides updated the number in the group to 11 clients and four guides after initially saying there were 16 people who had been staying at the Frog Lake huts since Sunday. Only 11 of the 12 planned guests were on the trip, Moon said Wednesday – one had backed out at the last minute.
“Our primary focus and entire team are currently dedicated to the search and rescue efforts in the the Castle Peak area. We are in constant communication with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and local Search and Rescue teams as they continue their work. … Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and first responders in the field,” the tour company said before the eight skiers were found dead.
On its website, the company advertises the ski trip to the Frog Lake huts for those with an intermediate to advanced skill level.
Skiers spend their days navigating the mountain off-trail through steep terrain with the aid of guides, before returning to the huts for dinner, the company says.
The huts are near Donner Summit in “truly rugged, wild terrain” – an area that before 2020 was closed to the public for nearly a century.
A race to reach the survivors
Following the first call for help Tuesday, dozens of first responders approached the scene from multiple directions: Search and rescue teams staged at Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, where they were dispatched along with rescue crews from surrounding counties.
The rescuers approached the scene on skis and snowcats, with snowmobiles on standby, as they battled the harsh weather in the region, where snow was falling at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour Tuesday.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, 93% of avalanche victims live if pulled out within 15 minutes. After 45 minutes, only 20% to 30% of victims survive, and after two hours of being buried in the snow, most people don’t make it.
As the time ticked by, the survivors were told to “shelter in place as best they can in the conditions,” the sheriff’s office said.
The stranded skiers were communicating with rescuers through emergency beacons, including some with the ability to send text messages, Capt. Russell Greene of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office told CNN affiliate KCRA.
The group crafted a makeshift shelter from a tarp, “doing everything they can to survive,” Greene said.
For safety, everyone in the backcountry should wear emergency beacons or receivers, according to Mike Duffy, an avalanche instructor at Silverton Avalanche School in Colorado.
“You’re sending a signal. When someone gets buried, you switch it to search. You can also pick up that signal and pinpoint the person,” Duffy said. “Having a GPS satellite communicator makes a big difference. You can get a message out and get the rescue teams in there. It takes rescue a long time to get in there.”
The area has a deadly history
Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot peak in the Donner Summit area of Sierra Nevada, is a popular backcountry skiing destination, according to The Associated Press.
The Donner Summit was named for an ill-fated pioneer journey to California during the winter of 1846–1847. The Donner Party is thought to have been stranded by a snowstorm before reaching the pass, resorting to cannibalism to survive, the Associated Press reported.
The Frog Lake huts, where the group had been staying since Sunday, are located near Donner Summit.
In January, Chris Scott Thomason, 42, of Bend, Oregon, was killed after he was buried in an avalanche as he and four other “experienced snowmobilers” were returning from Castle Peak, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Despite the group taking safety precautions including carrying protective equipment and avalanche beacons/transceivers, he couldn’t be saved.
People touring the backcountry represent the highest number of avalanche fatalities between 1950 and 2025 – 339 deaths, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Snowmobilers have the second highest number, with 310 deaths, and climbers are third with 194 deaths.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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