A tour guide company is facing a blizzard of criticism after a horrific avalanche Tuesday near Lake Tahoe left at leasteight backcountry skiers dead.
Aneerily prophetic Instagram videofrom Blackbird Mountain Guides — the outfit leading the ill-fated, three-day trek in the remote Sierra Nevada — drew scores of commenters who believed it showed the snowy disaster that befell 15 skiers could have been avoided.
The video posted Monday warned of an incoming “BIG storm” and featured a guide sifting through the snow, showing a weak layer potentially prone to avalanches.
“Leading people to their deaths,” one commenter posted under the video after the tragedy.
Another comment arrived before the avalanche struck — and warned of snowy peril.
“Big danger with the big storm,” a user posted on Monday.
The warning drew a response from the Blackbird Mountain Guides account: “We’ll see how it all shakes out. Be careful out there!”
The devastating avalanche struck Tuesday around 11:30 a.m. as four Blackbird guides and 11 guests wrapped up their days-long expedition.
Six surviving skiers — who had huddled under tarps after being struck by the snowslide — were rescued, in part because they were able correspond with first responders using the iPhone’s SOS feature, said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon on Wednesday.
Tragically, rescuers confirmed eight skiers had died in the disaster. One more skier remained missing, Moon said.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
