A tour guide company that organized the trip for a large group of backcountry skiers thatwent missing after an avalanchenear Lake Tahoe has broken its silence.
Sixteen people are believed to have been hit by the terrifying slide on Tuesday morning as snow battered the region. Six were known to have survived, while ten remain unaccounted for.
Mountain rescue launched a huge operation to find them on skis and snowcats, but have beenstruggling against horrific conditionsthat saw the entire region cut off.
Blackbird Mountain Guides later said it had organized the trip for 12 clients and four guides at the Frog Lake huts in the Castle Peak area of the mountain.
It revealed the skiers had been returning to the trailhead at the end of their three-day tour whenthe huge avalanchestruck.
The statement read: “Blackbird Mountain Guides is currently responding to a serious backcountry incident involving an avalanche that occurred this morning, February 17, near the Frog Lake huts in the Castle Peak area.
“A total of 12 clients and four guides had been staying at the Frog Lake huts since February 15. The group was in the process of returning to the trailhead at the conclusion of a three-day trip when the incident occurred.
“The leadership team at Blackbird Mountain Guides is working in full coordination with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and Nevada County Search and Rescue to support the ongoing rescue operation.
“Blackbird Mountain Guides is in direct contact with the emergency contacts of the affected clients and guides and is providing them with regular updates as verified information becomes available.”
The avalanche struck around 11.30am in Castle Peak, a short drive from Truckee, as the winter storm raged throughout the area.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
