Eight recovered dead, one missing after Lake Tahoe avalanche

Rescue crews recovered eight bodies and searched for a ninth after a massive avalanche swept through a guided backcountry ski party near Lake Tahoe, leaving six survivors and prompting a multiagency recovery operation hampered by blizzard conditions.

The group of 15, reported as 11 clients and four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, was returning from a three-day trip around Frog Lake when the slide struck at about 11:30 a.m., local officials and responders said. Six people were rescued; Facebook posts summarizing local reports identified the survivors as one guide and five clients. Authorities had not released the names of the dead as of Wednesday evening.

Crews working in deep snow used skis and snowcats to reach the scene. Nearly 100 first responders from county and volunteer search-and-rescue teams, forestry crews and other agencies joined the operation, which shifted from rescue to recovery as severe weather and ongoing avalanche warnings reduced the likelihood of finding additional survivors. A local broadcast transcript captured the confusion in the field with the line, "Authorities said eight of the nine skiers had been found dead, with the ninth presumed dead."

Officials and avalanche experts described the slide as among the deadliest in recent U.S. history. State and local statements characterized the incident as the deadliest avalanche on record in California and one of the worst nationally in decades. Emergency personnel and incident commanders are continuing to reconcile counts and location details; some initial reports placed the slide near Castle Peak and Frog Lake in Nevada County northwest of Lake Tahoe, while another account identified Perry Peak. Authorities said they would provide confirmed coordinates and victim information once next-of-kin notifications and on-scene accountability were complete.

The tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of elevated regional avalanche risk. The Sierra Avalanche Center has recorded at least 50 avalanches in the Lake Tahoe area since September 2025, and national avalanche maps showed the region at a four out of five danger level at the time reporters reviewed forecasts. Local records and avalanche centers note that people have died in slides in the Lake Tahoe area in six of the past 10 years, underscoring the persistent hazard for backcountry users.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon acknowledged the personal toll on the community, noting that one victim's spouse was among those assisting in the search. Blackbird Mountain Guides was described in local summaries as cooperating with authorities and supporting affected families; the company had not issued a detailed public statement in the materials reviewed by reporters.

Investigators and avalanche specialists are expected to examine snowpack conditions, recent forecasts and the group's route and decision-making to determine contributing factors. Coroners and county officials said they would release the names of the deceased only after families had been notified. The incident has prompted renewed calls from avalanche centers for caution among backcountry travelers during the ongoing winter storm and sustained high avalanche danger.