Eight skiers confirmed dead following California backcountry avalanche

Eight skiers have been confirmed dead and a ninth is presumed dead after a large backcountry avalanche near Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe, during a powerful winter storm in northern California.

The avalanche struck on Tuesday as a guided group of 15 skiers was returning from a three-day trip. The party included 11 recreational skiers and four professional guides. Six people survived, two of whom sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to hospital.

Search and recovery operations in the Sierra Nevada have been hampered by ongoing blizzard conditions, additional snowfall of about 3ft (90cm), and continued avalanche risk. Authorities said the bodies remain buried and cannot yet be safely recovered. Families have been notified, but names have not been released.

The avalanche was rated D2.5 on the Destructive Force Scale by the Sierra Avalanche Center, indicating a large event capable of burying and injuring people over a wide area.

The storm system has also caused broader disruption across the region. Boreal Mountain Ski Resort reported more than 30 inches of snowfall since Tuesday and closed due to high winds and low visibility. Major transport routes, including Interstate 80 and Highway 50, were shut down.

State authorities, including the office of California governor Gavin Newsom, are coordinating with local emergency teams on recovery efforts.

Late last year, at least seven climbers – five foreigners and two Nepalis – were killed after being hit by an avalanche on Nepal’s Yalung Ri mountain in Dolakha district.