10 Skiers Missing After Avalanche Near Lake Tahoe, California

Update Tuesday, February 17, 11:46 p.m. PT.Six skiers were rescued Tuesday evening by search and rescue teams, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in an update. Two of the six were taken to a hospital for treatment. While 16 people were initially believed to be involved, the Sheriff’s Office said that the total has been revised to 15. The following article, which was published Tuesday afternoon, remains unchanged.

Rescue efforts are underway to rescue a group of 16 skiers near Truckee, California, who reportedly encountered an avalanche in the Castle Peak area on Tuesday morning, according to local law enforcement. 

At least six of the skiers survived the avalanche and are awaiting rescue, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Ten skiers were still unaccounted for at the time the release was published around 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. 

The Sheriff’s Office said the group, in total, consisted of four guides and 12 clients.

Rescue ski teams have departed from both Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, according to the Sheriff’s Office, and will make their way to the six known survivors. A SnoCat team was also launched from Alder Creek Adventure Center.

Forty-six emergency first responders are now involved in the effort. The incident remains active and ongoing, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The announcement comes amid an intense winter storm slamming mountains and ski resorts across the Sierra Nevada. Some ski resorts shut down for the day on Tuesday around Lake Tahoe.

The Sierra Avalanche Center’s current forecast called for “high” avalanche danger in the area on Tuesday, indicating that “very dangerous” backcountry avalanche conditions existed.

“Travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended today. A widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours. Large avalanches may run through treed areas,” the forecast cautioned.

This is a developing story and may be updated.