Avalanche Near Lake Tahoe Leaves 10 Skiers Missing, 6 Rescued
An avalanche struck near Lake Tahoe, California, on Tuesday, leaving 10 backcountry skiers missing and six others awaiting rescue, authorities reported. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. Local time in the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada, as heavy snowfall blanketed the region.
The group consisted of four guides and 12 clients, according to officials. The avalanche, described as “very large” by the Sierra Avalanche Center, occurred at an elevation of approximately 2,500 meters and posed a significant risk of burying or seriously injuring those caught in it.
Six skiers were confirmed to be alive and were instructed to shelter in place while rescue teams worked to reach them. The remaining 10 skiers are currently unaccounted for.
Nearly 50 first responders are involved in the search and rescue operation, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office stated conditions in the mountains remain “highly dangerous.”
Steve Reynaud, an avalanche expert with the Sierra Avalanche Center, stated the group had arrived in the Sierra Nevada on Sunday and was scheduled to depart from the Frog Lake Huts on Tuesday. Reynaud explained that the routes to and from the huts present “a certain degree of avalanche risk,” and that the group was heading toward the Castle Peak trail access near the Boreal ski area, adjacent to Interstate 80. That route, he said, has “numerous avalanche hazards.”
An avalanche warning had been issued by the Sierra Avalanche Center prior to the incident, remaining in effect until Wednesday morning.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the avalanche by the tour company providing the ski excursion, as well as by activated emergency beacons. Captain Rusty Greene of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office noted that while backcountry skiing is common, taking a group of clients out in such conditions, especially with an avalanche warning in place, was “not a wise choice.” A full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the avalanche is underway.
