Up to 10 skiers missing, six survive California avalanche in area where Bend snowmobiler died
TRUCKEE, Calif. (KTVZ) -- As many 10 skiers were missing Tuesday after an avalanche struck a group of 16 people skiing in the Castle Peak area near Truckee late Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Nevada County, Calif., sheriff's deputies said in a Facebook post that at least six skiers survived the avalanche and remained at the site awaiting rescue following the slide, which occurred around 11:30 a.m.
The incident triggered a massive response involving 46 emergency first responders who were navigating dangerous weather conditions to reach the survivors. The Sierra Avalanche Center had placed the region under a high avalanche warning prior to the group's departure.
The group caught in the slide consisted of four ski guides and 12 clients, deputies said. Rescuers directed the six survivors to shelter in place, as weather conditions in the backcountry remain highly dangerous. Officials have not released the names or conditions of those who are unaccounted for.
Highly skilled rescue ski teams from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner's Alder Creek Adventure Center have been deployed to reach the site. In addition to the ski teams, a SnoCat team was launched from the Alder Creek Adventure Center to assist in the search.
The Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, which is near Castle Peak, was reporting about 30 inches of snowfall over the past 24 hours, NBC News said. Castle Peak is a popular backcountry skiing destination along Interstate 80.
The Nevada County Sheriff's Office was coordinating the response with assistance from several local and regional agencies. They thanked those assisting, who included search and rescue teams from Nevada, Placer and Washoe counties, as well as the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue and Truckee Fire.
The Sierra Avalanche Center previously issued an avalanche warning for the area effective through 5 a.m. Wednesday. The center categorized the current risk as high for the backcountry.
"HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry," the Sierra Avalanche Center stated in the warning. "Large avalanches are expected to occur Tuesday, Tuesday night and into at least early Wednesday morning across backcountry terrain. HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Wednesday."
The avalanche occurred in the same general area as one back on Jan.6, when Bend resident Chris Thomason, 42, was buried in snow and killed while snowmobiling with four friends in the Castle Peak area.
