Six rescued after backcountry group swept up near Castle Peak in California’s Sierra Nevada during severe storm
Nine skiers are still missing after an avalanche swept the Castle Peak area of the Sierra, Nevada, mountains in California. Authorities said six others, who had been stranded, have since been rescued.
The avalanche occurred about 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe at about 11.30am on Tuesday, engulfing a group of backcountry skiers – including four guides and 11 clients.
The Nevada county sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post late Tuesday that the six who survived and had been rescued had taken refuge in a makeshift shelter, constructed partly from tarpaulin sheets. The office communicated with rescuers via radio beacon and text messaging.
“Due to extreme weather conditions, it took several hours for rescue personnel to safely reach the skiers and transport them to safety where they were medically evaluated by Truckee Fire,” it said. “Two of the six skiers have been transported to a hospital for treatment”.
