Eight Skiers Die in California Avalanche, Nation’s Deadliest in Decades

Search crews have recovered eight bodies from a devastating avalanche near Lake Tahoe, with one person still missing. The tragedy marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981, occurring during a severe winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Search and rescue teams have recovered eight bodies from a catastrophic avalanche near Lake Tahoe, with one skier still unaccounted for in what officials are calling the nation’s most deadly avalanche disaster in nearly 50 years.

The tragedy unfolded with devastating speed, according to authorities.

“Someone saw the avalanche, yelled ‘Avalanche!’ and it overtook them rather quickly,” said Capt. Russell “Rusty” Greene, of the Nevada County sheriff’s office.

Rescue teams pulled six survivors from the snow approximately six hours after the avalanche struck Tuesday morning. The group had been wrapping up a three-day backcountry skiing expedition in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm. Four professional guides were part of the group, with three of them presumed dead. The skiing party consisted of both men and women ranging in age from 30 to 55.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon indicated investigators will examine why the expedition continued despite weather warnings issued Sunday. At 6:49 a.m. that morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch, signaling that significant avalanches were probable within the following 24 to 48 hours.

Before the deadly slide occurred, officials upgraded the watch to a warning status, indicating avalanches were anticipated. It remains uncertain whether the guides received notification of this escalation before departing the backcountry area.

With one individual still missing, the operation has transitioned from rescue efforts to body recovery, Moon explained.

Officials are delaying the release of victims’ identities to allow families time to process the tragedy. “They’re still reeling,” Moon said. “I could not imagine what they’re going through.”

The deceased were discovered in close proximity to each other, Greene reported. Recovery teams have been unable to retrieve the victims due to hazardous mountain conditions.

Between three and six feet of snow has accumulated since Sunday. The region has also experienced below-freezing temperatures and powerful winds. The Sierra Avalanche Center warned that additional avalanche risks persisted Wednesday, leaving the snowpack dangerous and unpredictable in terrain characterized by steep, rocky cliffs.

Emergency beacons and cell phones guided rescue teams through treacherous conditions

Rescue personnel reached the survivors shortly before nightfall Tuesday.

All skiers carried emergency beacons capable of transmitting location signals to rescuers, and at least one guide managed to send text messages. However, it’s unclear whether they had avalanche airbags – inflatable safety devices designed to keep skiers closer to the snow surface, Greene noted.

While awaiting rescue, the survivors constructed emergency shelter using their gear to protect against sub-freezing temperatures. During their wait, they discovered three additional fatalities, Moon said.

Rescue teams utilized a snowcat vehicle to approach within two miles of the survivors, then carefully skied the remaining distance to avoid triggering additional avalanches, the sheriff explained.

One rescued individual remained hospitalized Wednesday, Moon confirmed.

The location near Donner Summit ranks among the snowiest regions in the Western Hemisphere and was restricted to public access until recently. The area typically receives nearly 35 feet of annual snowfall, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which operates a series of mountain huts near Frog Lake where the group had been staying.

This avalanche represents the most fatal in the United States since 1981, when 11 mountaineers perished on Mount Rainier in Washington state. The National Avalanche Center reports that 25 to 30 people typically die in avalanches across the U.S. each winter.

This marks the second deadly avalanche near California’s Castle Peak this year, following a January incident that killed a snowmobiler.

Group was departing wilderness area when avalanche occurred

Greene said authorities learned of the avalanche through Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company organizing the trip, and emergency beacon alerts. The sheriff’s department confirmed Tuesday evening that 15 backcountry skiers participated in the expedition, not 16 as initially reported. One participant had withdrawn from the trip at the last moment, Moon said.

The group was completing their final day of the backcountry adventure after spending two nights in mountain huts, according to Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center.

Accessing the winter huts requires several hours of travel and demands advanced backcountry expertise, avalanche education, and specialized safety gear. Blackbird Mountain Guides marketed the tour for intermediate-to-expert level skiers.

The Donner Summit area remained closed for nearly 100 years before the Truckee Donner Land Trust and partner organizations reopened it in 2020. Donner Summit takes its name from the tragic Donner Party, a group of 19th-century settlers who turned to cannibalism after becoming stranded during the harsh winter of 1846-1847.

When asked about her thoughts as emergency personnel and volunteers responded to the scene, Moon said she hoped they would reach the location safely. Once they arrived, she said she was “immediately thinking of the folks that didn’t make it, and knowing our mission now is to get them home.”