An avalanche that hit near Lake Tahoe in California on Tuesday (January 7) took the lives of eight skiers, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department confirmed on Thursday. While one remains missing, the authorities managed to rescue six of the 15 backcountry skiers who were stuck in the avalanche.
The Nevada County sheriff’s office did not confirm the identity of any of the victims. However, details of some of them were released in Thursday’s press conference.
In Thursday’s press conference, Captain Russell Greene of Nevada County said that one of the skiers was heard shouting ‘Avalanche!’ just as it hit around 11am on Tuesday. Greene said that the skiers had very little time to react.
Fresh Details On the Victims Emerge
The first major details that emerged in the case concerns the Sugar Bowl Academy community: a Donner Summit-based private boarding school and ski and snowboard club. Most of the skiers were reportedly associated with the academy. Of the 15 who were on the tour, there were four guides, three of whom died, authorities confirmed.
One of the women who died in the avalanche was a mother from Mill Valley, a wealthy enclave near San Francisco. The group included a mix of men and women between the ages of 30 and 55. Mayor Max Perrey confirmed in a social media confirmed in social media post that one of the victims, a mother, was from the community. He did not reveal the name of the mother or if she was affiliated with Sugar Bowl Academy.
“Our heart in Mill Valley goes out to the families that have been impacted,” the statement from Perry read. “It’s a huge tragedy and a huge loss.”
Also read: How much does Blackbird Mountain Guides charge skiers? Tour company under fire after Lake Tahoe avalanche deaths
Sugar Bowl Academy Reacts To Incident
Sugar Bowl Academy released a statement on the incident, saying that they are not revealing the names of the victims out of respect for them. The 15 victims, however, were under the guidance of a private company called Blackbird Mountain Guides. They are not connected directly to the Super Bowl Academy.
“We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected each and every one of us,” a statement from the director of the academy read. “The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support while providing the necessary space and time for grief and healing.”
Lake Tahoe victims: Wealthy San Francisco mother among eight killed; scary details emerge
