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Efforts to locate nine skiers missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe have faced a setback as heavy snowfall has blanketed the region. Rescuers were unable to continue their search on Wednesday morning, with the area receiving close to two feet of snow overnight.
The avalanche occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the Boreal/Castle Peak trailhead, according to the New York Times. A group of backcountry skiers found themselves buried under the snow, prompting a swift rescue operation.
Blackbird Mountain Guides / Facebook
So far, six of the skiers have been successfully rescued, but the search continues for the remaining nine. The severe weather conditions have complicated efforts, with Soda Springs, near the avalanche site, recording nearly two feet of fresh snow in the last day.
In the nearby town of Truckee, the impact of the storm is evident. Roads are largely deserted as snow drifts have reached up to five feet, keeping most residents off the streets.
The roads in nearby Truckee are “virtually empty,” the Times reported. Snow drifts have been as high as five feet.
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While winter weather in the Lake Tahoe area had calmed by Wednesday morning, it is is still under an avalanche warning. Heavy snow is expected to return Thursday.
There’s evidence the tour company that brought the 15 skiers to the site knew that conditions were hazardous. A video showed a tour guide from Blackbird Mountain Guides sifting through snow with his hands.
The video is ominously captioned: “This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!”
The tour company took the skiers on tour Tuesday morning near Castle Peak when the avalanche buried 11 clients and four guides. The group had been returning from a three-day tour.