Avalanche Horror in California: Rescuers Race to Find 9 Missing Skiers
Nine skiers are missing after a powerful California avalanche near Lake Tahoe. Rescue teams battle high avalanche danger in a tense backcountry search.
Officials say nine backcountry skiers are missing after an avalanche in Lake Tahoe, California, on Tuesday.
The Nevada County Sheriff's Office said six more people were rescued after becoming trapped.
According to officials, the avalanche was reported around 11:30 PST in the Castle Peak area near the city of Truckee. Weather conditions remain dangerous, and further avalanches are possible.
The sheriff said "highly skilled ski rescue teams" from two nearby ski resorts have been deployed. The sheriff added that the six survivors have been told to "stay in the best possible place under these conditions." Officials initially reported a total of 16 people involved—four guides and 12 clients—though this number was later reduced to 15.
The Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook late Tuesday night, "The six skiers who were initially reported to have survived the avalanche have been successfully rescued this evening." It is reported that two of the six rescued skiers were taken to the hospital.
Experts from the nearby Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Alder Creek Adventure Center are also attempting to reach the site.
An earlier statement from the Sheriff's Office said 46 emergency responders had joined the rescue efforts.
The Sierra Avalanche Center wrote in a forecast: "Major avalanches are expected in the backcountry area Tuesday night and at least through Wednesday morning."
The Avalanche Center listed the danger rating as "high" – a four out of five on the rating scale.
The Center added, "Travel in, near, or below the avalanche site is not recommended today. A large-scale natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours." "Large avalanches can travel through areas surrounded by trees."
Steve Renaud, a weather forecaster at the Sierra Avalanche Center, told local outlet ABC News 10 that the avalanche in which the skiers were trapped was rated D2.5 on a scale of D1 to D5. According to avalanche.org, a D2 avalanche can injure, bury, or kill people.
He said the skiers spent two nights in huts on the trip, which involved crossing 4 miles (6.4 km) of "rugged mountain terrain" carrying food and supplies.
Sheriff's Office spokesperson Captain Russell Green told local news station KCRA-TV that finding the missing skiers would be a "slow, tedious process" because of the high avalanche risk, which could endanger rescuers.
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As of about 17:15 PST (01:15 GMT), he said first responders, some of whom were on skis, were still trying to reach the avalanche zone, and those who survived were "trying desperately to stay alive" under sheets of tarpaulin.
He said it's not common for ski tour companies to take paying customers out in such conditions, adding: "I don't think it was a wise decision, but we don't know all the details yet."
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said in a post on X that state officials were coordinating a "full-blown search-and-rescue effort" with local emergency teams.
Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, near the accident site, had received 30 inches (76 cm) of snow in the previous 24 hours.
The resort decided to close on Tuesday due to strong winds and low visibility.
The storm also closed several highways, including Interstate 80 and Highway 50.
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