Rescuers battle extreme conditions after avalanche kills eight in Lake Tahoe region

Rescue crews searching California’s Lake Tahoe backcountry have located the bodies of eight skiers killed in a devastating avalanche, as officials continue efforts to reach a ninth person who is presumed dead.

The avalanche struck the Castle Peak area at around 11:30 local time on Tuesday, sending what authorities described as a “football-field-sized” wall of snow crashing down the mountainside. Fifteen skiers were initially reported missing. Six survived.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon confirmed during a Wednesday news conference that eight bodies had been found. Search teams remain focused on recovering the final missing skier, though officials believe that individual did not survive.

The tragedy has taken an emotional toll on those involved in the response. Sheriff Moon revealed that one of the deceased was the spouse of a member of a search-and-rescue team, making the operation “challenging emotionally” for crews working in punishing conditions.

Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo offered condolences to the victims’ families. “I want to offer my condolences to the family in this very trying time,” he said.

Authorities have notified relatives of the deceased but have not yet released their names. Officials confirmed that the victims include seven women and two men.

Recovery efforts face serious obstacles. The bodies remain trapped beneath deep snow and cannot yet be extracted because of what officials described as “pretty horrific” weather. Since the avalanche struck, a further 3ft (90cm) of snow has fallen across the region, compounding the danger.

Chris Feutrier, supervisor of Tahoe National Forest, warned that conditions remain volatile. “The hazard remains high,” he said.

Once teams can safely recover the victims, they will transport them to the Placer County morgue.

The operation has mobilised roughly 50 personnel from two rescue teams. Crews battled “extreme weather conditions” and used specialised equipment to access the remote terrain. At one point on Tuesday afternoon, rescuers reached a location roughly two miles from where survivors had taken shelter in makeshift tents. From there, they skied in to reach those trapped.

Two of the six survivors sustained injuries so severe that they could not walk. Rescuers carried them out and transported them to the hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

Among the survivors were one guide and five clients from a guided tour at Blackbird Mountain. The wider group consisted of 11 recreational skiers and four ski guides. They had been returning at the end of a three-day trip when the avalanche struck.

The Sierra Avalanche Centre rated the slide as a D2.5 on a destructive scale ranging from D1 to D5. That classification suggests an avalanche exceeding half a mile in length, with snow deposits reaching approximately 6.5ft deep.

The broader storm system has battered the region. Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, near the accident site, recorded more than 30 inches of snowfall since Tuesday. The resort closed due to high winds and poor visibility. Major routes, including Interstate 80 and Highway 50, have also shut down.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said state authorities were coordinating an “all-hands” search-and-rescue effort alongside local emergency teams.

Sheriff Woo urged the public to avoid the backcountry while recovery efforts continue. “Avoid the backcountry,” he said. “Please allow us to focus all of our resources on continuing to recover these bodies for the family and bring them home.”

As snow continues to fall and the mountains remain unstable, rescue crews press on, determined to complete a grim task in unforgiving conditions.