8 backcountry skiers found dead and 1 still missing after California avalanche : NPR

NEVADA CITY, Calif. — Crews discovered the bodies of eight backcountry skiers near California’s Lake Tahoe and were actively searching for one more individual after they were trapped in an avalanche, which authorities described as the deadliest in nearly half a century.

Officials mentioned that the skiers had limited time to respond to the avalanche.

“Someone spotted the avalanche, shouted ‘avalanche,’ and it swiftly overtook them,” stated Capt. Russell “Rusty” Greene of the Nevada County sheriff’s office.

Six individuals from the guided tour were rescued six hours after the avalanche struck Tuesday morning during a three-day journey in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada, amidst a severe winter storm affecting the West Coast.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon mentioned that investigators would be examining the decision to proceed with the trip despite the forecast of relentless weather.

During a news conference, Moon stated that authorities had informed the families that the objective had shifted from rescuing people to recovering bodies.

The victims, including three guides, were found relatively close together, Greene mentioned. The deceased and missing individuals consist of seven women and two men between the ages of 30 and 55. Due to the extreme conditions, the crews have not been able to retrieve the victims from the mountain, as per the sheriff.

Since Sunday, when the group embarked on its trip, three to six feet of snow has accumulated. The area also experienced subfreezing temperatures and gale force winds. The Sierra Avalanche Center cautioned that the threat of additional avalanches persisted on Wednesday, leaving the snowpack unstable and unpredictable in an area recognized for its steep, craggy cliffs.