NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. — More than a dozen skiers on a backcountry run were trapped when an avalanche came crashing down on them.
Of the 15 skiers, six were rescued, but nine were still missing, trapped by the snow and ice in the Castle Peak area, north of Lake Tahoe, The Associated Press reported.
Reuters said that those rescued had varying injuries. Specifics of what injuries they had were not shared.
Two of the six that had been found were taken to a hospital for treatment.
They had gathered in a makeshift shelter made from tarps as they communicated with rescue teams via a radio beacon and text messaging, according to Reuters.
Crews had to trek for several hours to reach the skiers and get them to safety due to the extreme conditions from a winter storm that hit California, the AP reported.
“It’s particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we’re at the height of the storm,” Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster, Brandon Schwartz, told the AP. Several ski resorts in the area were closed completely or partially closed due to the weather.
The avalanche occurred on the last day of a three-day backcountry skiing trip. The group had spent two nights in huts as they navigated through “rugged mountainous terrain” for up to 4 miles. They had to take all of their food and supplies with them.
Blackbird Mountain Guides, the group that led the trip, said the group was returning to the trailhead at the end of their trip when the avalanche happened. The company is working with authorities on the rescue.
Reuters reported that an average of 27 people die each year in avalanches in the U.S.
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