Eight Skiers Confirmed Dead, One Still Missing After Massive Avalanche in California
A devastating avalanche near Castle Peak north of Lake Tahoe has claimed the lives of eight backcountry skiers, with one person still missing, making it one of the deadliest snow slides in modern California history. Six others survived the incident and were rescued amid ongoing severe winter conditions.
Rescue and recovery efforts continue after a powerful avalanche struck a group of 15 backcountry skiers in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday, killing eight and leaving one still unaccounted for. The tragedy, near Castle Peak roughly 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe, occurred amid a severe winter storm that dropped several feet of snow and created highly unstable avalanche conditions, according to officials.
The group, which included clients and guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, was completing a three-day trek when the avalanche struck. Six members of the party were rescued, including one guide, with two treated for injuries. Despite warnings issued by the Sierra Avalanche Center about dangerous terrain, the avalanche surprised the skiers as they headed back toward safety.
Weather and additional avalanche threats have hindered recovery operations, and authorities have temporarily shifted from rescue to recovery as they continue searching for the missing individual. This event is reported to be the deadliest U.S. avalanche in decades, prompting renewed caution from safety officials about backcountry travel during major storms.
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