January 1, Deadliest Avalanche in Decades Hits Sierra Nevada

Wyatt’s Take

• A massive avalanche near Castle Peak leaves eight confirmed dead, with one still missing and presumed lost.
• A group of skiers, led by professional guides, was hit as a monster winter storm slammed the Sierra Nevada.
• Rescue and recovery teams faced brutal weather to reach survivors and recover victims.

A deadly avalanche struck near Castle Peak, killing eight and leaving one missing, likely dead. The event is called the worst U.S. avalanche in more than forty years. The group, guided by Blackbird Mountain Guides, was returning from a three-day trip in the remote Frog Lake area when a wall of snow hit around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Officials said conditions are so dangerous they have shifted to recovery mode. The group was made up of 15 people—11 clients and four guides—caught by snow the “length of a football field.” Sheriff Wayne Woo said one victim was married to a member of the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team.

“This has not only been challenging for our community… but it has also been challenging emotionally for our team, and for our organization,” Woo said.

A winter storm hammering the mountains made it nearly impossible for help to reach them quickly. Six people survived, using iPhone SOS features and tarps to endure freezing temperatures and 80 mph winds. Rescue teams, nearly 50 strong, got close using Sno-Cats, then skied in the last miles to avoid more avalanches.

Rescuers arrived late that afternoon and found survivors who had already discovered three victims. Sheriff Woo noted the deep emotional toll on his team. “This incident has specifically struck our organization and that team, hard as one of the nine missing, decedents is a spouse of one of our top.”

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon told reporters, “We did have conversation with the families of the folks that are still outstanding and let them know that our mission went from a rescue to a recovery. It’s a difficult conversation to have with loved ones.” Moon said keeping rescue crews safe is still a huge concern due to unstable conditions: “We’re all so committed to seeing this through until the end. At this point, I’m going to have to wait for, hopefully, a decent break in the weather and make sure we get every last soul off that mountain.”

Authorities said the group included nine women and two men among the victims. The survivors range in age from 30 to 55. Names of the deceased have not been made public as families are notified. This is the deadliest U.S. avalanche since the Mount Rainier tragedy in 1981, which killed 11.

The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a ‘High’ warning (level 4 of 5) in the hours before the disaster. Over 40 inches of fresh snow made the conditions highly unstable and unpredictable. Sheriff Moon said investigators would look into decisions made before the trip, as search efforts face heavy snow and strong winds.

Read more at OANN

Wyatt Matters

This tragedy shows how quickly nature can turn deadly and how important it is to be prepared and heed local warnings. It hits hard when hardworking rescuers put their lives on the line to serve others. Heartland families everywhere can feel for the loved ones and first responders impacted by this disaster.