Eight skiers have been confirmed dead following a devastating avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, with authorities now shifting their mission from rescue to recovery for one remaining missing person. This tragic event represents the deadliest avalanche to strike the United States in more than four decades, according to official reports.
Deadliest US Avalanche Since 1981
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon announced during a news conference that the families of the victims have been notified about the grim change in the operation's status. The avalanche, which occurred on Tuesday morning, has claimed more lives than any similar incident since 1981, when eleven climbers perished on Washington's Mount Rainier.
Rescue Efforts and Survivor Accounts
Rescue teams received multiple distress signals including SOS alerts from survivors' mobile phones and emergency beacons, enabling them to establish text communication with some of those who survived the initial avalanche impact. According to survivor accounts, one member of the group spotted the incoming danger and shouted "avalanche" moments before the snow mass overtook them with terrifying speed.
Search and rescue crews were dispatched to the Castle Peak area after emergency services received a 911 call reporting that fifteen skiers had been buried by the avalanche. Six individuals have been successfully rescued alive from the disaster site.
Victim Details and Treacherous Conditions
Sheriff Moon confirmed that among the nine fatalities on the mountain, seven were women and two were men. Three professional guides leading the tour are presumed to be among the deceased. The skiers were participating in a three-day backcountry trek through Northern California's Sierra Nevada when a massive storm system pummeled the region.
Russell Greene, who led the rescue operation, expressed concern that additional snowfall could rebury the victims' bodies and create even more dangerous conditions for rescue volunteers. The skiers were on the final day of their wilderness skiing expedition and had spent two nights in mountain huts before the tragedy struck.
Challenging Terrain and Safety Requirements
Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center, explained that the area requires navigation through extremely rugged mountainous terrain. All food and supplies must be carried to the remote huts, and reaching these locations in winter conditions demands several hours of travel along with specialized backcountry skills, comprehensive avalanche training, and proper safety equipment.
Guide Company Statement
Blackbird Mountain Guides released a statement confirming that the group, which included four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred. "Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and first responders in the field," the company stated, adding that they are actively assisting authorities with the ongoing search efforts.
Two of the rescued skiers required hospital treatment after being found following several hours of intensive searching, according to Ashley Quadros, spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff's Office. The eight confirmed fatalities remain at the avalanche site as recovery operations continue under extremely hazardous winter conditions.
