Six women died in a Tuesday avalanche in the California Sierra Nevada, and families described the victims as experienced backcountry skiers who were part of a close group of friends. Authorities said two people from the group got out alive and were rescued, while the search continued for a ninth person. Nevada County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Quadros said Thursday that it would likely be at least another day before crews could safely attempt to recover bodies and continue searching because weather conditions on the mountain were dangerous.

The families released a statement through a spokesperson expressing grief and asking for privacy as they mourned what they described as “extraordinary women.” They said the focus was on supporting children through the “incredible tragedy” and honoring the women’s lives as mothers, wives and friends connected through “the love of the outdoors.” The statement listed the six women who were killed as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt, and said they “have many unanswered questions.”

In their account, the families said the trip was arranged in advance, the women had avalanche safety equipment and they were trained and prepared for backcountry travel. The statement added that they “trusted their professional guides on this trip,” and it said “They were experienced backcountry skiers who deeply respected the mountains.” Officials said the reason the guides and their tour company continued the outing, despite warnings and risks from a powerful winter storm hitting the mountains during the trip, is part of an ongoing investigation.

Quadros said the six killed were the subject of recovery and identification efforts as authorities also sought the remaining person. She said crews were “on the mountain,” but that they “are not going to be able to safely reach them,” because “The weather conditions are really dangerous.” The avalanche also occurred as conditions were shifting during the storm, and the Sierra Avalanche Center reported that several more feet of snow could fall around Lake Tahoe on Thursday and continue destabilizing a fragile snowpack.

The Sierra Avalanche Center said wind gusts along ridgetops could reach 60 mph (100 kph) and warned of a high risk of large avalanches through at least Friday morning. Tahoe National Forest lands in the Castle Peak area were also closed to the public until March 15. The avalanche was described by authorities and reporting as the deadliest in the United States in decades, noting that the last time a similar death toll was recorded was in 1981, when 11 climbers were killed on Mount Rainier in Washington state.

Families said the group started its three-day trip on Sunday as storm warnings intensified, spending the weekend near Frog Lake in high country huts accessible only by challenging trails. The statement also described links within the group, including that Sekar and Clabaugh were sisters and Vitt had worked in roles that included work in broadcasting companies, according to information cited by reporting. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference Thursday that some of his “wife’s old family friends” were on the trip, and Mill Valley Mayor Max Perrey said some women in the group were from his city.

Questions remain about how the outing decision aligned with forecast danger. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said authorities would investigate why the guides proceeded with the tour despite the forecast. California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is also investigating, with the state agency examining whether the company violated California law.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, the tour company whose guides were in the group, said in a statement that it launched an investigation and was mourning the loss of three guides. The company’s founder, Zeb Blais, said in the statement that the guides were trained or certified in backcountry skiing and were instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. In the same statement, Blais said that while in the field the guides “are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions,” and that “We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do.”

As the investigation continues, officials and experts said that it is not uncommon for backcountry skiers to go out even when an avalanche watch or warning is in place, particularly in terrain where slides can occur regularly but go unnoticed. Reporting also said it was not clear whether the guides on the trip were aware of the avalanche warning, though they were trained to test the snow and assess conditions on the ground. At least one guide was able to send text messages, and two of those rescued were taken to a hospital before later being released.

In the broader area, authorities also have responded to other recent avalanches, including incidents in Utah that killed a snowmobile rider and a girl in Salt Lake County, according to reporting cited in the case coverage.

Sources:

  • Associated Press