Eight people are confirmed dead, with one more skier still missing in the horrific avalanche that happened just outside of Lake Tahoe.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon provided the grim update on Wednesday, 24 hours after the avalanche was first reported.

Moon stated four travel guides and 11 guests were caught in the avalanche. Among the 15, six had been rescued — one man and five women ages 30 to 55. Moon said eight of the remaining nine are confirmed dead, and one is still missing.


  Eight people are confirmed dead, with one more skier still missing in the horrific avalanche outside Lake Tahoe. Jason Tobias for CA Post Eight people are confirmed dead, with one more skier still missing in the horrific avalanche outside Lake Tahoe. Jason Tobias for CA Post

  Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon provided the update just 24 hours after the avalanche was reported. REUTERS Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon provided the update just 24 hours after the avalanche was reported. REUTERS

Rescuers searching for the final skier are dealing with “highly dangerous” conditions, with more snow expected and an avalanche warning remaining in effect, Moon said.

The tour group initially contained 12 clients and four guides, but one client decided to back out of the trip at the last minute, Moon said. 

An avalanche on Tuesday trapped 15 skiers who were part of a three-day expedition led by Blackbird Mountain Guides. Rescuers were able to save six of the people after they set off emergency beacons.

The six hid under tarps as they awaited rescue late on Tuesday, but are now off the mountain. The sheriff said the six were found after they corresponded with first responders using the iPhone’s SOS feature. Two of the skiers needed to be hospitalized.

Rescuers searching for the other nine missing skiers were hamstrung in their search efforts on Wednesday morning after the area was slammed with nearly 2 feet of snow.


  Rescuers searching for the other nine missing skiers were hamstrung in their search efforts on Wednesday morning after the area was slammed with nearly 2 feet of snow. Jason Tobias for CA Post Rescuers searching for the other nine missing skiers were hamstrung in their search efforts on Wednesday morning after the area was slammed with nearly 2 feet of snow. Jason Tobias for CA Post

There were no signs of rescue activity at Boreal/Castle Peak trailhead where the avalanche struck Tuesday around 11:30 a.m.

The night before, mountain rescuers had launched a huge operation to find them on skis and snowcats, but had been struggling against horrific conditions that saw the entire region cut off.

Here are the latest stories on the California Avalanche:

Soda Springs, located near the avalanche site, got hit by nearly 2 feet of snow over the past 24 hours, weather data said. The roads in nearby Truckee are “virtually empty”, The New York Times reported.

Snow drifts have been as high as five feet.

There’s evidence the tour company that brought the 15 skiers to the site knew that conditions were hazardous. A video showed a tour guide from Blackbird Mountain Guides sifting through snow with his hands.


  Snow drifts have been as high as five feet. Jason Tobias for CA Post Snow drifts have been as high as five feet. Jason Tobias for CA Post

The video is ominously captioned: “This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!”

The tour company took the skiers on a tour Tuesday morning near Castle Peak when the avalanche buried 11 clients and four guides.

The group had been returning from a three-day tour, where they stayed at the remote Frog Lake huts in the mountain’s Castle Peak area.

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The avalanche swept down an elevation of roughly 8,200 feet near Frog Lake, officials said.

The Sierra Avalanche Center measured it at a 2.5 on a 5-point scale of destructive size.

Such avalanches are usually about the length of a football field and capable of injuring, burying or killing a person more than 6 feet of snow.

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