Six backcountry skiers are safe but another 10 are missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe late Tuesday morning. In a Facebook post, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office said it received a report of the avalanche in the Castle Peak area, north of Truckee, California, around 11:30am and deployed deputies and search-and-rescue teams to the scene. The Sierra Avalanche Center said the avalanche hit at an elevation of 8,200 feet, SFGate reports. In an update later Tuesday, the sheriff's office said six skiers were at the avalanche site awaiting rescue but 10 others were unaccounted for. The group consisted of four ski guides and 12 clients, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office said ski rescue teams were making their way to the survivors, who had been directed to shelter in place as best as they can in rough weather conditions. "Rescue efforts remain in progress now with 46 emergency first responders," the sheriff's office said. "Weather conditions remain highly dangerous ."
A major winter storm is moving through California, with snowfall and weakening snowpack layers causing high avalanche danger in areas including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, the AP reports. The Castle Peak area, roughly 40 miles west of Reno near Donner Lake, is popular with backcountry enthusiasts. Castle Peak has already seen deadly conditions this season: an avalanche there on Jan. 5 killed one person. This story has been updated with new developments.
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