Eight backcountry skiers have died, and one remains missing after an avalanche struck near Castle Peak northwest of Lake Tahoe, officials said Wednesday, marking the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. in more than four decades.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said the avalanche occurred around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday near the Frog Lake backcountry huts during a powerful winter storm that dumped several feet of snow and brought high winds across the Sierra Nevada. A 9-1-1 caller reported multiple people buried by the snowpack.
The group included four ski guides and 12 clients on a three-day guided backcountry trip with Truckee-based Blackbird Mountain Guides. Authorities initially believed 16 people were involved, later revising the number to 15.
Rescue crews, including 46 emergency responders from the sheriff’s office and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, responded in treacherous conditions. Crews rescued six skiers on Tuesday, with two needing hospitalization. The survivors reportedly sheltered themselves and located three others who had died while waiting for help.
The sheriff’s office confirmed Wednesday that eight people are dead and one remains missing. A snowcat and ski teams reached the survivors, but heavy snow and ongoing avalanche risk slowed operations.
Castle Peak, part of the Donner Summit area, is one of the snowiest locations in the Western Hemisphere, averaging nearly 35 feet of snow annually. The Sierra Avalanche Center warned that avalanche danger remains high and urged people to avoid travel in the backcountry.
Search and recovery efforts will continue as conditions allow.
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