Six Rescued, Nine Missing After Deadly Avalanche Hits Castle Peak, California
Nine skiers remain missing after a powerful avalanche struck the Castle Peak area near Truckee, roughly 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe, on Tuesday, authorities reported.
Six other skiers who had been stranded were rescued, though some sustained injuries, and two were transported to a hospital for treatment.
The avalanche struck at approximately 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time, sweeping through a group initially estimated at 16 people, later revised to 15 by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook update. Authorities said no further updates were expected Tuesday evening.
Officials warned that if the nine missing skiers are not found alive, the incident could rank among the deadliest single avalanches in U.S. history. So far this season, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center has reported six avalanche-related fatalities in the United States.
Over the past decade, avalanches have claimed an average of 27 lives each winter nationwide.
A winter storm warning was in effect across much of northern California, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a “high avalanche danger” alert early Tuesday morning for the region.
“I don’t think it was a wise choice,” said Greene, a local official, referring to the decision of a ski tour company to guide paying customers into the backcountry under such hazardous conditions. He declined to name the company, noting that details of the incident remain under investigation.
Rescue teams from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center responded to the site.
Survivors had taken shelter in a makeshift structure partly made from tarpaulin and were able to communicate with rescuers using radio beacons and text messages.
Authorities continue to search for the missing skiers as snow and weather conditions complicate rescue efforts.
