The search for a ninth person believed killed in a massive avalanche in California is expected to continue into the weekend, US officials said on Thursday, as severe weather hampers recovery efforts.
The bodies of eight people known to have died remain on the mountain due to the ongoing storm in the Sierra Nevada and the risk of further avalanches.
“Due to hazardous weather conditions, avalanche victims cannot be safely extracted off the mountain today,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
“Recovery efforts are expected to carry into the weekend.”
Six people survived Tuesday’s tragedy, one of the deadliest avalanches in modern US history. The group—four guides and 11 paying clients—were on their third day of a backcountry skiing trip on the 9,109-foot (2,776-metre) Castle Peak in the Lake Tahoe region, a popular destination for mountain enthusiasts.
Late Thursday, families of six of the victims identified them as women who were “mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”
“They were passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains,” the statement said. “We have many unanswered questions.”
The families noted the women were “experienced backcountry skiers” and “fully equipped with avalanche safety equipment.”
The six survivors—five clients and a guide—were able to call for help shortly after the avalanche, but white-out conditions and the threat of further snow slides delayed rescue teams. Two survivors required assistance to descend and needed hospital treatment.
Enormous tragedy
The US Forest Service announced on Thursday that all lands it manages in the area will be closed for several weeks to allow recovery operations.
“Due to the current instability of the snowpack and the need to prioritise first responder access to the area, members of the public are prohibited from entering the closure area during search and rescue operations,” the agency said.
“Emergency personnel will need to use snow machines, aircraft, heavy equipment, and possibly explosives to mitigate further hazards and ensure the safety of responders.”
The closure will remain in effect until 15 March
Questions have arisen about why the skiers were on the mountain amid several feet of fresh snow and high avalanche risk. Expedition organisers, Blackbird Mountain Guides, said all staff were professionally trained and urged the public not to speculate.
“This was an enormous tragedy and the saddest event our team has ever experienced,” said company founder Zeb Blais.
“In addition to mourning the loss of six clients, we also mourn three highly experienced members of our guide team. Guides in the field are in communication with senior guides at our base to discuss conditions and routing based on current information. There is still a lot we’re learning about what happened. It’s too soon to draw conclusions, but investigations are underway.”
