A frantic effort is in progress to locate nine backcountry skiers who were caught in an avalanche in California, an event that has been criticized by snow sports enthusiasts as an avoidable disaster.

On late Tuesday morning, a group of fifteen skiers was traversing Castle Peak near Lake Tahoe when they were suddenly engulfed by an avalanche, accompanied by a fierce storm unleashing heavy snowfall.

Some of the skiers managed to find refuge under a makeshift shelter fashioned from a tarp while rescue teams faced harsh blizzard conditions to reach them, according to a report by the California Post.

By Tuesday evening, six skiers had been successfully rescued, albeit with varying degrees of injury, as stated by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. However, rescue teams continued their search for the missing individuals, hindered by relentless snowfall and diminishing daylight.

Among those rescued, two required hospitalization for further medical care.

Initially, authorities reported that 16 individuals, comprising four guides and twelve clients, were part of the expedition. This figure was later corrected to 15.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, the tour company responsible for the tour, is ‘working in full coordination’ with authorities to support the rescue mission, the firm said in a statement.

Six skiers had been rescued ‘with varying injuries’ Tuesday evening

A huge storm dumped heavy snow on the mountains near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday

The company revealed that skiers were in the process of returning to the trailhead at the end of a three-day trip when the avalanche struck.

‘Blackbird Mountain Guides is in direct contact with the emergency contacts of the affected clients and guides and is providing them with regular updates as verified information becomes available,’ the statement added. 

But skiers in the area have hit back at the company, claiming that the tour group should never have let skiers up the mountain in the first place.

‘I was at Frog Lake from Thursday to Sunday but we got out before the storm moved in,’ he told the Post. ‘Absolutely a preventable tragedy is all I will say about it.’ 

Another skier accused the ski guides of making a ‘bad call’ and questioned why they ever took the group up the mountains in such poor conditions.

The group had been staying at the Frog Lake Backcountry Huts, a collection of remote cabins near the Castle Peak.

Officials had said 46 emergency first responders were involved in the search, including ‘highly skilled rescue ski teams’ from both Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, who were dispatched to rescue the six known survivors.

A powerful storm packing several feet of snow continued to pummel the Sierra Nevada mountain range throughout the day, with forecasters warning of white-out conditions

A powerful storm packing several feet of snow continued to pummel the Sierra Nevada mountain range throughout the day, with forecasters warning of white-out conditions.

Experts had warned that the risk of avalanches was expected to extend into Wednesday.

‘HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected to occur Tuesday, Tuesday night, and into at least early Wednesday morning across backcountry terrain,’ the Sierra Avalanche Center said.

‘HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Wednesday.’

The National Weather Service said parts of the Sierra above 3,500 feet could see up to eight feet of snow over the next 48 hours, with gusts of wind as strong as 55 miles per hour.

Sheriff’s office Captain Russell Green told local media station KCRA that officials discourage people from backcountry skiing.

‘People go out and use the backcountry at all times,’ Green said. ‘We advise against it, obviously, but I wouldn’t say that it’s uncommon. Not that it was a wise choice.’

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has tallied six US avalanche fatalities so far this season, including one in Castle Peak in January.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.