Share and Follow
In a tragic turn of events, a group of skiers on an adventurous three-day expedition through the Sierra Nevada region near Lake Tahoe, California, fell victim to a devastating avalanche at Castle Peak.
This morning, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon addressed the media, detailing the grim aftermath and the survivors’ harrowing ordeal. Six individuals, part of the touring group, managed to contact emergency services amidst the chaos.
The group of survivors, made up of one man and five women between the ages of 30 and 55, displayed remarkable resilience. Despite the turmoil, they located two of their fellow adventurers, who had already succumbed to the avalanche, before help could arrive.
Among the survivors, two were severely injured, rendering them unable to move independently. However, all six were ultimately rescued from the treacherous conditions.
Authorities have since confirmed the tragic discovery that eight out of the nine remaining missing skiers have been found deceased, casting a somber shadow over the rescue efforts.
Moon said the weather and further avalanche risks were hampering the search for the final missing person.
“Extreme weather conditions, I would say is an understatement,” she said.
Families have been told the operation is now considered a recovery, meaning the final missing skier is not expected to be found alive.
The area near Donner Summit is one of the snowiest places in the western hemisphere and until just a few years ago was closed to the public.
It sees an average of nearly 10 metres of snow a year, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which owns a cluster of huts where the group was staying near Frog Lake.
The Sierra Avalanche Centre warned that the risk of avalanche remains high and advised against travel in the area.
Heavy snowfall and gale-force winds in recent days left the snowpack unstable and unpredictable, and more snow was predicted to fall, the centre said.
Nevada County Sheriff Captain Russell Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by Blackbird Mountain Guides, which was leading the expedition, and the skiers’ emergency beacons.
Of the survivors, one was a guide and five were clients.
The skiers were on the last day of a back-country skiing trip and had spent two nights in the Frog Lake huts, said Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Centre. He said the area requires navigating rugged mountainous terrain. All food and supplies need to be carried to the huts.
Reaching the huts in winter takes several hours and requires backcountry skills, avalanche training and safety equipment, the land trust says on its website.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement said the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred.
“Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and first responders in the field,” Blackbird said in a statement. The company said it is helping authorities in the search.
“The leadership team at Blackbird Mountain Guides remains fully engaged in assisting the search and rescue efforts on the ground as we navigate this incredibly difficult situation alongside those involved,” an update to the original statement read.
Several Tahoe ski resorts had been fully or partially closed due to the weather. Resorts, which use controlled explosions and barriers to manage avalanche threats, were not expected to be at as high of a risk as the back country, the centre said.
The area near Donner Summit was closed for nearly a century before the land trust and its partners in 2020 acquired Frog Lake, which is framed by 300m-high cliffs.
Donner Summit is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.
In January, an avalanche in the region buried a snowmobiler and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the US, according to the National Avalanche Centre.
With Associated Press.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.