Deadliest California Avalanche in Decades: 8 Skiers Confirmed Dead, 1 Still Missing

Eight backcountry skiers have been confirmed dead, and one remains missing after a massive avalanche struck a guided ski group in the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe, California on Tuesday, officials said. The incident: one of the deadliest avalanches in the U.S. history occurred amid a powerful winter storm that pushed heavy snow and high winds across the Sierra Nevada.

The group of 15 skiers; including four guides and 11 clients, was returning from a three-day backcountry trek when the avalanche, described as spanning the length of a football field, struck around 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

Rescuers were notified when six survivors, including one guide and five clients aged between 30 and 55, activated their emergency beacons and used SOS alerts and text messages to reach out for help. All six were eventually reached and evacuated; two were hospitalized, one of whom has since been released, while the other remains under treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials said search and rescue efforts have transitioned to recovery, as conditions remain hazardous due to continued snowfall, strong winds, and ongoing avalanche risk. The bodies of the eight deceased skiers have been located but could not yet be recovered because of unsafe conditions.

In a particularly emotional aspect of the tragedy, one of the people who died was the spouse of a local search and rescue team member, underscoring the emotional toll on the community and volunteers involved in the operation.

Emergency workers, many of whom are volunteers, have been praised for their efforts in confronting blizzard-like conditions to reach the survivors and those buried by the snow. Officials have also noted that despite avalanche warnings issued by the Sierra Avalanche Centre before the storm, the group proceeded with the expedition, a decision now under scrutiny.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Centre, the U.S. typically records an average of 27 avalanche deaths each winter, with six fatalities recorded so far this season before Tuesday’s disaster.