Bold headline: Six skiers alive, ten missing — and the rescue continues through a brutal storm. But here’s where it gets controversial: navigating backcountry terrain in a blizzard tests every decision and equipment choice, and not everyone agrees on the best strategy to reach those trapped.
Authorities say six backcountry skiers were found alive but trapped on Tuesday after an avalanche in the rugged Northern California mountains left ten others unaccounted for, as the danger of further slides remained high.
Rescue teams on skis and snowcats faced blizzard conditions while attempting to reach the group near Frog Lake in the Castle Peak region, northwest of Lake Tahoe. The call came in around 11:30 a.m. reporting an avalanche with people buried as a powerful winter storm moved through the state.
Hours later, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ashley Quadros said six skiers had been located and were advised to shelter in place as best they could until rescuers could reach them.
Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center, explained that the group was on the final day of a three-day backcountry skiing trip. He noted that his team had been in contact with people on the ground in the area. The skiers reportedly spent two nights at huts and undertook a trek over rugged mountainous terrain on backcountry skis, carrying all food and supplies for up to 4 miles (approximately 6.4 kilometers).
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were alerted to the avalanche by the ski tour company that led the group into Castle Peak and by emergency beacons the skiers were equipped with.
The skiers communicate with officials via emergency beacons that can send texts, Greene told KCRA-TV.
“They are doing the best they can. They’ve taken refuge in an area, constructed a makeshift shelter with a tarp, and are doing everything possible to survive and wait for rescue,” Greene said.
Rescue teams are proceeding cautiously due to the ongoing risk of additional avalanches. Greene noted that crews have brought in snowcats and have snowmobiles on standby, with multiple rescue methods mobilized. He described the operation as slow and painstaking.
Backcountry conditions remain dangerous. The trip-leading company, Blackbird Mountain Guides, stated on its website that it is coordinating with authorities on the rescue and that 12 clients and four guides were in the party.
California is contending with a powerful winter storm delivering treacherous winds and heavy snow in the mountains. Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster Brandon Schwartz emphasized that the backcountry is especially perilous at the storm’s peak."
The Sierra Nevada avalanche center issued a warning for the Central Sierra Nevada and the Lake Tahoe region starting early Tuesday, with large slides anticipated through Wednesday.
The dangerous conditions stem from rapidly accumulating snow on fragile snowpack layers, compounded by gale-force winds. Several Lake Tahoe-area resorts were fully or partially closed due to the weather. Although resort avalanche mitigation programs exist along highways, backcountry travel remains strongly discouraged, as officials warned.
Castle Peak, at 9,110 feet (2,777 meters), is a popular but hazardous backcountry skiing destination in the Donner Summit area of the Sierra Nevada. Donner Summit bears historical notoriety from the 1846–1847 Donner Party tragedy, a reminder of how quickly conditions can turn catastrophic.
Experts stress the importance of avalanche training and carrying safety gear for backcountry skiing—also known as off-piste skiing—where terrain falls outside resort boundaries. Backcountry skiers use wider, heavier equipment designed for ungroomed terrain, unlike narrower cross-country skis used on flat, groomed trails.
In nearby Soda Springs, local reports noted at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of recent snowfall. Forecasters warned that the western Sierra Nevada slope, including parts of Interstate 5 and the Pacific Coast Range, could accumulate up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) of snow before the storm subsides late Wednesday.
The storm disrupted roadways from Sonoma County to the Sierra Nevada, with I-80 closures near the Nevada state line due to spinouts and crashes.
In January, a separate avalanche in the same region buried a snowmobiler and resulted in a fatality. Across the United States, avalanches claim roughly 25–30 lives each winter, according to the National Avalanche Center.
Watson reported from San Diego.
