8 Skiers Are Dead in Sierra Nevada Avalanche
A final missing skier was also presumed dead, the authorities said. Six survivors were rescued. The avalanche is the deadliest in modern California history.
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Here’s the latest.
The bodies of eight skiers killed during an avalanche were found during a rescue effort late Tuesday in California near Lake Tahoe. Six skiers from their party survived and were evacuated, while one member of the group remains missing and presumed dead in what is already the deadliest avalanche in modern California history.
Several of those killed were members of the Sugar Bowl Academy community, according to school officials, who said they were not releasing names out of respect for the families affected. The academy is a private boarding school and ski club near Donner Summit.
The skiers, including four guides, had been finishing up a three-day backcountry expedition in a rugged but popular recreational area near Castle Peak. The six survivors were able to use a combination of emergency beacons and iPhone S.O.S. functions to contact rescuers, who braved treacherous conditions to reach them.
Two of the six survivors were taken to a hospital for treatment after being evacuated, Nevada County officials said in a news conference. One has since been released, and the other is still being treated with non-life-threatening injuries.
Searchers were unable to remove the bodies of the eight confirmed dead, officials said, and it was unclear on Wednesday when they might be able to return, with more significant snowfall in the forecast through the weekend.
The high death toll raised questions about why the group was on the mountain after forecasters had issued avalanche warnings for the northern Sierra Nevada, though longtime residents and officials emphasized that conditions in the backcountry can change swiftly.
“The backcountry, it’s beautiful,” said Sheriff Shannan Moon of Nevada County. “There’s not a lot of people out there, and that’s where a lot of people like to recreate — I myself like to recreate in that area.” But to Mother Nature, she added, “it doesn’t seem to matter.”
Here’s what to know:
The timeline: The group had been returning to a trailhead at the end of their trip late on Tuesday morning when one member of the group spotted the avalanche, according to officials. Search-and-rescue team members reached the survivors late on Tuesday night.
The location: The Frog Lake huts, where the group was staying, are tucked into the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe and below Castle Peak, which towers at about 9,100 feet. It is one of the most popular skiing destinations in the region. Read more ›
The warnings: A backcountry avalanche warning had been issued for a broad stretch of the Sierra Nevada early Tuesday because of a combination of rapid snowfall and strong winds. Nearly three feet of snow had accumulated at Donner Peak, near Castle Peak, in the 48 hours before the avalanche.
The conditions: Forecasters warned that heavy snowfall would continue through Thursday across the northern Sierra Nevada, impeding search and recovery efforts.
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