Rescue teams are facing significant challenges as they search for nine missing skiers trapped by an avalanche near Lake Tahoe. Their efforts were hindered on Wednesday morning after the region was buried under nearly two feet of fresh snow.
According to the New York Times, there was no visible rescue activity at the Boreal/Castle Peak trailhead, where the avalanche occurred on Tuesday at around 11:30 a.m. The incident buried a group of backcountry skiers, prompting an urgent search and rescue operation.
Blackbird Mountain Guides / Facebook
So far, six skiers have been successfully rescued, leaving nine still unaccounted for.
The nearby area of Soda Springs experienced a substantial snowfall of nearly two feet over the previous 24 hours, as reported by weather data.
In Truckee, a town close to the avalanche site, roads are described as “virtually empty,” with snow drifts reaching heights of up to five feet, according to the Times.
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Although the Lake Tahoe area experienced a brief respite from the winter weather on Wednesday morning, an avalanche warning remains in effect. Forecasters predict heavy snowfall will return on Thursday, potentially complicating rescue efforts further.
There’s evidence the tour company that brought the 15 skiers to the site knew that conditions were hazardous. A video showed a tour guide from Blackbird Mountain Guides sifting through snow with his hands.
The video is ominously captioned: “This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!”
The tour company took the skiers on tour Tuesday morning near Castle Peak when the avalanche buried 11 clients and four guides. The group had been returning from a three-day tour.
