Lake Tahoe avalanche: 8 backcountry skiers dead, 1 still missing

NEVADA CITY, Calif. - Eight people died, and one person is still missing Wednesday after an avalanche hit near Lake Tahoe, making this the most deadly avalanche in California history, according to the Nevada County Sheriff.

The ninth missing person is presumed dead, authorities said. 

And one of the people who died is married to a member of the Tahoe Nordic search and rescue team members, authorities said. 

"So, as you can understand, this is not only been challenging for our community, it's been a challenging rescue, but it's also been challenging emotionally for our team and our organization," Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo said Wednesday at a news conference. 

Three of the eight who died were guides leading a President's Day backcountry guided trip on Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot mountain north of Donner Summit, about 80 miles northeast of Sacramento and 30 miles west of Reno, Nev. The remaining people were guests on the tour. 

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said in addition to those who died, there were six people – one guide and five guests — rescued Tuesday evening from under a tarp by a snowbank, whose ages range from 30 to 55. 

Two of those six survivors couldn't walk because of the cold, and they were taken to the hospital, authorities said. One has already been released and the other one should be released on Wednesday. 

Originally, there had been 16 people on the trip, including the four guides, but one person backed out at the last minute, Moon said. 

Avoid Sierra in storm 

What you can do:

Woo made a special plea to the public during this week's winter storm, which has brought strong gales of wind and nearly impossible-to-see whiteout conditions. 

"My request to members of the public during this time is to please avoid the Sierras during this current storm," Woo said. "And in the upcoming days, avoid mountain travel. It's treacherous. Avoid the backcountry. Please allow us to focus all of our resources on continuing to recover these bodies for the family and bring them home."

As of Wednesday, the bodies were still buried in the snow surrounded by avalanche poles, authorities said. They were placed in an area that will make it easier for crews to recover when the weather lets up. 

"Yes, we're actively going to do the recovery as soon as we can," Nevada County Sheriff's Capt. Russell Greene said. "But again, it's going to depend on how the weather goes for the next couple of days."

Lake Tahoe avalanche victims

What we know:

In all, 15 people – nine women and six men – had gone on a backcountry trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides that ended Tuesday morning with an avalanche near Lake Tahoe by a mountain called Castle Peak, named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement the company is helping authorities in the search. It said the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead following a three-day trek when the avalanche occurred.

The skiers had spent two nights in Frog Lake backcountry huts, said Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. He said the skiers were navigating "rugged mountainous terrain."

Avalanche danger high

Why you should care:

The Sierra Avalanche Center issued a backcountry avalanche warning on Tuesday for the Tahoe Basin, including the Castle Peak area, rating the danger at level four out of five, or "high." Forecasters warned that travel in or below avalanche terrain was not recommended.

Several Tahoe ski resorts had been fully or partially closed due to the weather. 

"There were lots of forecasts for this storm," Moon said at the Wednesday news conference. "These were decisions that the guide company clearly had made. We're still in conversations with them about the decision factors that they made." 

The avalanche that killed the members of the group was about a football field in length, said Chris Feutrier, forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest.

Rescue crews are ‘true heroes’ 

What they're saying:

Roughly 50 people from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County Search and Rescue, and the Truckee Fire Department helped with the search. 

Woo described these teams as the "highest-rated, best, most well-trained, selfless servants."

"These are true heroes," Woo said.

Authorities added that these search teams are mostly volunteers who put themselves in harm's way to rescue the outdoor adventurers. They often buy their own equipment and train on their own time. 

Worst winter conditions

Big picture view:

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab said the area was being hit with the worst winter conditions in three years, with more than five feet of snow expected in a matter of days.

Last month, an avalanche in the same area of Truckee led to the death of a man on a snowmobile. He was found buried under snow. 

Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center. 

The most deadly avalanche in California before this was on March 31, 1982, when seven people died at the Alpine Meadows Ski Area near Lake Tahoe. 

The most deadly avalanche in the United States was in 1981, when 11 climbers were killed on Mount Rainier, Washington.

Woo, from the Placer County Sheriff's Office, said crews are especially motivated to recover the bodies that are left on the mountain, especially because a rescue member's spouse is still up there.

"It's had an emotional impact," Woo said. "But we still have a job to do. And we will be here…until we get every last decedent off the mountain." 

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