California avalanche survivors tried to unbury their friends, official says

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Truckee, California — Survivors tried to unbury their friends when an avalanche struck a radical of backcountry skiers adjacent Lake Tahoe successful Northern California earlier this week, according to caller harrowing details from a section sheriff's official. The avalanche, the deadliest successful California history, killed astatine slightest 8 radical and near a ninth idiosyncratic missing.

Nevada County Undersheriff Sam Brown told CBS News connected Thursday that when the avalanche hit, the skiers "went into, I think, frantic mode of trying to find their friends and partners. And they were yet capable to unbury 3 individuals who did not survive."

Brown described a chaotic country adjacent Castle Peak, northbound of the Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, with 8 feet of snowfall and 90-mile-per-hour winds catching by astonishment the 15 skiers who were returning from a three-day guided backcountry trip.

"Uncovering radical who are deceased, that they cognize and astir apt cared about, is conscionable horrible," Brown said.

Six of the 15 skiers survived and were rescued. The bodies of 8 skiers person been found, but due to the fact that upwind conditions were inactive truthful atrocious arsenic of Thursday, they person not yet been recovered. A ninth skier is missing but is presumed dead, officials person said.

Brown explained Thursday that the archetypal rescue was remarkably analyzable due to the fact that authorities needed standby hunt and rescue crews for the rescuers themselves.

"We sent 2 teams successful from 2 directions," Brown said. "We needed a rescue squad for those teams, successful the lawsuit that an avalanche was triggered."

A skeleton unit of 5 rescuers has remained connected the upland since Tuesday, moving to carve retired a way for further rescuers, but they person been hampered by the storms blasting the region.

"We're waiting for the upwind and for the avalanche risk," Brown said.

Authorities are trying to determine wherefore the radical continued connected its travel adjacent though an avalanche ticker was issued for the portion connected Feb. 15, 2 days earlier the avalanche occurred. An avalanche informing was issued connected Tuesday.

The radical included 4 guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides and 11 clients, Blackbird said successful a connection Wednesday. Blackbird said each of its guides were avalanche information instructors. Blackbird said that of the six survivors, 1 was a usher and 5 were clients.

Brown explained that adjacent acquisition has its limits.

"Even if you are equipped and person the ability, that doesn't mean you're gonna beryllium capable to outstand Mother Nature," Brown said.

The families of six of the victims released a associated connection Thursday identifying them arsenic Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt.

Vitt, a erstwhile SiriusXM enforcement from the Bay Area, was besides identified to CBS News by a household friend.

"It's a horrible tragedy," said the friend, who has known the household for 50 years. "She died up successful the mountains disconnected of I-80 up determination adjacent Sugar Bowl. She and her friends were connected a guided overnight backcountry skiing trip." They asked not to beryllium named retired of respect for the family.

Several of those killed were members of the Sugar Bowl Academy, a backstage schoolhouse and skis and snowboarding nine for those ages 5 to 23, the Academy said successful a connection Wednesday.

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