TRUCKEE, Calif. — A devastating avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains has claimed eight lives and left one person missing after striking a group of experienced backcountry skiers attempting to return home following days of harsh winter conditions.
The deadly slide occurred Tuesday as 15 skiers departed from remote mountain cabins at high elevation, making their way back toward the trailhead. The incident represents the most fatal avalanche in the United States in nearly five decades.
Recovery efforts for the victims’ remains have been delayed as avalanche warnings remain active through early Thursday, with officials waiting for the dangerous storm system to pass. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of those who perished.
The skiing party had strong connections to Lake Tahoe’s mountain recreation scene, particularly the prestigious Sugar Bowl Academy. The institution released a statement Wednesday evening expressing grief over losing individuals with “strong connections to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit and the backcountry community.”
The academy did not specify the exact relationship between the victims, who ranged from 30 to 55 years old, and the school that provides alpine and backcountry skiing training along with education for aspiring young athletes.
“We are an incredibly close and connected community,” Sugar Bowl Academy executive director Stephen McMahon was quoted as saying in the statement. “This tragedy has affected each and every one of us.”
Among the group were four professional guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, a company specializing in mountaineering expeditions and backcountry skiing adventures throughout the western United States and abroad. One guide survived the disaster.
The three-day excursion, which started Sunday, was designed for skiers with intermediate to advanced abilities, according to information on the outfitter’s website.
Blackbird Mountain Guides announced Wednesday evening that it has initiated a comprehensive investigation and suspended all field activities through the weekend at minimum while focusing on assisting the families of those affected.
The company’s guides possessed training and certification in backcountry skiing techniques and served as instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.
During expeditions, guides “are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions,” founder Zeb Blais explained in the company’s statement.
“We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do,” the company stated. “In the meantime, please keep those impacted in your hearts.”
Mill Valley Mayor Max Perrey, representing the Marin County community located approximately 14 miles north of San Francisco, verified that several group members were women from his city. He declined to share additional information via email to The Associated Press but indicated more details would be made available later.
The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch Sunday morning, which was upgraded to a warning by 5 a.m. Tuesday, signaling that avalanche conditions were anticipated. It remains unclear whether the guides received notification of this escalation before beginning their descent.
Officials described a tragic scene as survivors searched through snow for their missing companions and endured a six-hour wait for rescue teams to reach them amid blizzard conditions. The survivors located three bodies, according to Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon.
All skiers carried emergency beacons capable of transmitting location signals to rescue personnel, and at least one guide managed to send text messages for help. However, it’s uncertain whether the group used avalanche airbags, which are inflatable safety devices designed to keep skiers closer to the snow surface during slides, noted Sheriff’s Captain Russell “Rusty” Greene.
One survivor remained in hospital care as of Wednesday, Sheriff Moon reported.
The region has received between 3 and 6 feet of fresh snowfall since Sunday, accompanied by below-freezing temperatures and powerful winds reaching gale force.
This avalanche stands as the most deadly in the United States since 1981, when 11 mountain climbers lost their lives on Washington state’s Mount Rainier. It also marks the second fatal avalanche near Castle Peak this year, following the death of a snowmobile rider in January. Avalanches typically claim 25 to 30 lives annually across the country, according to National Avalanche Center data.
The location near Donner Summit where the skiing expedition occurred ranks among the snowiest regions in the Western Hemisphere and remained off-limits to public access until recent years. The summit bears the name of the notorious Donner Party, pioneer travelers who became stranded there during the winter of 1846-1847 and resorted to cannibalism for survival.
