SODA SPRINGS, Calif. — Recovery teams are preparing to restart operations Friday to retrieve the remains of eight individuals who perished in a devastating Sierra Nevada avalanche, along with searching for one person still unaccounted for. Harsh weather conditions have prevented safe access to the remote location for several days.
Among those who lost their lives, six were part of a tight-knit circle of friends who were seasoned backcountry skiing enthusiasts with extensive knowledge of mountain wilderness areas, according to statements from their families on Thursday. The remaining three fatalities were professional mountain guides.
“We are devastated beyond words,” family members expressed in a prepared statement delivered through a representative. The statement described the women as mothers, spouses, and companions who “connected through the love of the outdoors” and were properly equipped with avalanche safety gear for wilderness travel.
The six friends have been named as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt. They resided across various locations including the San Francisco Bay region, Idaho, and near Lake Tahoe. Their families have requested privacy during this difficult time.
Officials have not yet disclosed the identities of the other casualties.
Two members from the friend group managed to survive the incident and were successfully rescued alongside four additional individuals, including one guide.
The Sierra Avalanche Center reported that avalanche alerts were scheduled to end early Friday morning, with forecasters predicting drier and more temperate conditions for the upcoming weekend.
This tragedy marks the most fatal avalanche incident in the United States since 1981, when eleven mountaineers died on Washington state’s Mount Rainier.
The group of 15 skiers launched their planned three-day excursion on Sunday, coinciding with escalating storm alerts. By Tuesday morning, officials were warning that avalanche conditions were imminent.
Investigators from local law enforcement and a state workplace safety regulatory agency are now examining what information the guides and their tour operator possessed regarding the warnings and their decision to continue the expedition.
Experts in avalanche safety note that backcountry skiers commonly venture out during avalanche watches or even active warnings.
Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company organizing the trip, stated that their guides possessed proper training and certification in backcountry skiing and held instructor credentials with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. Company founder Zeb Blais explained in a statement that field guides “are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed that some of his wife’s “old family friends” were among the expedition members. The Newsoms maintain a residence in Marin County, home to several trip participants. His office declined to provide additional details.
“These were some experienced guides that were out there, and that’s what’s even more concerning and disturbing,” Newsom commented during Thursday’s press conference.
According to The New York Times, Sekar and Clabaugh were siblings, as confirmed by their brother McAlister Clabaugh. Sekar was a San Francisco resident and mother of two children, while Liz Clabaugh was employed with St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho, based on her professional profile.
Vitt also lived in San Francisco and had previous employment with SiriusXM and Pandora, according to her professional background. The Kentfield School District informed families Wednesday that her two sons “are safe and are with their father, Geoff, as they navigate this profound loss,” The New York Times reported.
Atkin resided with her spouse and two children and had worked as a corporate executive and competed as a Division I Track & Field athlete, according to information on her leadership coaching website.
Several group members had connections to the prestigious Sugar Bowl Academy, an exclusive boarding and day institution for competitive skiing and snowboarding athletes, which has produced numerous Olympic competitors.
Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo disclosed that one victim was married to a member of the region’s backcountry search and rescue organization.
