Bodies of eight killed in Tahoe avalanche cannot be recovered Thursday due to extreme weather

"The bodies of eight backcountry skiers who died in the largest avalanche in state history Tuesday will not be recovered Thursday due to hazardous weather conditions, officials said. Recovery operations to extract the group off the mountains are expected to continue into the weekend, according to a social media post from the Nevada County Sheriff's Office. One additional skier is missing but presumed deceased."

"The nine people were among a group of 15 backcountry skiers on a three-day trip to the Frog Lake Cabins led by Truckee-based outfitter Blackbird Mountain Guides. The group was returning to the trailhead near Castle Peak when the football field-sized avalanche struck. One skier reportedly shouted Avalanche! just before the group was overtaken by snow. Six skiers, including one of the four guides leading the trip, survived."

"Rescue efforts that began Tuesday have been hampered by hazardous storm weather conditions, with concerns of another avalanche creating increased caution for rescuers responding to the site. Blizzard conditions prevented the removal of bodies Wednesday, though the locations of eight had been marked with poles when they were located. The disaster marks the deadliest avalanche in California history since the 1982 Alpine Meadows Ski Resort avalanche, which killed seven people."

Eight bodies located after a football field-sized avalanche will not be recovered Thursday because hazardous weather and blizzard conditions prevent safe extraction. Recovery operations are expected to continue into the weekend, and one additional skier remains missing and presumed deceased. The nine victims were part of a 15-person backcountry group returning to the trailhead near Castle Peak after a three-day trip to Frog Lake Cabins led by Blackbird Mountain Guides. One skier reportedly shouted "Avalanche!" just before the group was overtaken. Six people survived, including one guide; two survivors received hospital treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Rescuers marked locations of eight bodies with poles amid avalanche risk.

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