TRUCKEE: Recovery crews have recovered the bodies of all nine backcountry skiers killed in a powerful avalanche near Castle Peak in the Lake Tahoe region, ending a four-day search complicated by severe winter weather and unstable snow conditions. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said the last of the victims was recovered Saturday, Feb. 21, after responders used helicopters and tracked vehicles to reach the slide area. Officials said six other members of the party survived. The group was part of a guided trip operating out of the Frog Lake huts.
The sheriff’s office identified the victims as Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Verdi, Nevada; Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs, California; Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, California; Lizabeth “Liz” Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho; Michael Henry, 30, of Soda Springs; Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, California; Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, California; Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco; and Katherine “Kate” Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, California. Authorities said Alissandratos, Choo and Henry were guides.
Officials said the avalanche was reported around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, and swept through a commonly traveled route near Castle Peak. The party had been returning to the trailhead at the end of a three-day backcountry hut trip that began Feb. 15. The guided group included 11 clients and four guides, according to the guiding company. Rescue teams made contact with the six survivors through Emergency SOS messages sent from an iPhone and told them to shelter in place until responders arrived later Tuesday. Officials said survivors located three bodies before help reached them.
Recoveries delayed by storms
Search and recovery operations were repeatedly slowed by whiteout conditions, high winds, heavy snowfall and continuing avalanche danger, officials said. Teams on the ground were initially unable to safely remove the dead from the mountain. Authorities said avalanche mitigation work was conducted Friday to improve conditions for rescuers. A sheriff’s office briefing said personnel located the ninth victim and recovered five bodies on Friday, and recovered four more on Saturday. The final recovery was completed at 10:58 a.m., with aircraft and tracked equipment used to transport victims from the slide zone.
Authorities said the Sierra Avalanche Center issued an avalanche watch on Sunday that was upgraded to an avalanche warning on Tuesday morning, hours before the slide. Federal officials closed National Forest lands and trails in the Castle Peak area to protect the public and ensure first responders could work in the zone. The closure took effect Feb. 20 and is scheduled to run through March 15. The sheriff’s office said the closure also supports recovery operations and reduces exposure to ongoing hazards in a snowpack officials described as unstable.
Investigations and safety reviews
The sheriff’s office said it is investigating the circumstances of the incident, and state workplace safety officials have opened a separate review because guides were among those killed. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, confirmed it has opened an investigation and has up to six months to complete its work, with citations possible if violations are found. Blackbird Mountain Guides said all guides on the trip were trained or certified in backcountry skiing by the American Mountain Guides Association and were instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.
Officials credited a multi-agency effort that included local search and rescue teams, fire agencies, state emergency support and aviation resources for operating in hazardous, rapidly changing conditions. Sheriff Shannan Moon said authorities were grateful to recover and identify all nine victims so families could bring them home. The guiding company said it suspended field operations in the immediate aftermath and is working to support the families of clients and guides. The sheriff’s office said responders would continue coordinating with partner agencies as the investigation proceeds. – By Content Syndication Services.