Eight backcountry skiers have been found dead and one person remains missing after a massive avalanche struck the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe in northern California on Tuesday, making it the deadliest avalanche in the United States in more than four decades. Six other members of the group were rescued alive, though two required hospitalization for injuries described as non-life-threatening. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon confirmed during a news conference on Wednesday that authorities have informed the families and the operation has shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery effort.
The avalanche hit at approximately 11:30 in the morning local time as a group of 15 people, including four professional guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides of Truckee and 11 guests, were returning to the trailhead after a three-day backcountry skiing expedition to the Frog Lake Huts. The cascade of snow swept through the group with devastating force as a powerful winter storm was moving through the Sierra Nevada region, bringing rapidly accumulating snowfall that piled onto fragile snowpack layers while gale-force winds battered the mountainside.
Rescue teams faced extraordinary challenges reaching the remote avalanche site. The combination of severe weather conditions, extremely limited visibility and highway closures created significant obstacles for emergency personnel attempting to access the Castle Peak area, which lies northwest of Lake Tahoe near the town of Truckee. A 911 call alerted authorities to the disaster, reporting that people were buried under the snow. It took search and rescue crews several hours to safely reach the stranded skiers and transport them to locations where they could receive medical evaluation, with helicopters unable to fly due to the ongoing storm.
The six survivors, comprising one guide and five expedition participants, were eventually brought to safety after enduring hours trapped in harsh conditions. Two of the rescued skiers were taken to hospital, with one later released after treatment. Officials praised the professionalism of the Blackbird Mountain Guides team and the survival instincts of those who managed to activate emergency beacons despite the chaotic circumstances. Search teams continued working through the night and into Wednesday morning to locate the remaining victims and the one person still unaccounted for.
The disaster marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981, when 11 climbers lost their lives on Mount Rainier in Washington state. It is also the most lethal avalanche ever recorded in California history. Avalanche experts noted that the Sierra Nevada had experienced an unusual pattern of snowfall this winter, with warm spells creating weak layers in the snowpack that were subsequently buried by heavy storms, creating what they described as a dangerously unstable foundation. The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued warnings about considerable avalanche danger in the days preceding the incident.
The tragedy has reignited debate about the risks of backcountry skiing, which has grown enormously in popularity in recent years as more people seek ungroomed terrain away from crowded resorts. Industry groups and safety organizations have called for greater awareness of avalanche risks, proper training and the mandatory carrying of rescue equipment including beacons, probes and shovels. California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences to the families of the victims and pledged state resources to support the ongoing recovery operation and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
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