Historic avalanche victims' families 'devastated beyond words' as search for final skier pushes into weekend

California recovery operation for deadliest avalanche in decades expected to last into weekend

The majority of the eight skiers who were killed during Tuesday's historic avalanche on Castle Peak have been identified in a joint statement from their families. The avalanche in the rugged Donner Pass region of California's northern Sierra, marks the deadliest U.S. avalanche since the 1981 disaster on Mount Rainier. Officials halted Thursday's recovery operation for the victims and the last missing skier, who is presumed dead as dangerous weather conditions persisted. Recovery efforts are expected to carry into the weekend. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray has details on the conditions from nearby Lake Tahoe. 

TRUCKEE, Calif. – The majority of the eight skiers who were killed during Tuesday's historic avalanche on Castle Peak have been identified in a joint statement from their families.

The avalanche in the rugged Donner Pass region of California's northern Sierra, marks the deadliest U.S. avalanche since the 1981 disaster on Mount Rainier that claimed 11 lives.

Officials halted Thursday's recovery operation for the victims and the last missing skier, who is presumed dead as dangerous weather conditions persisted. Recovery efforts are expected to carry into the weekend.

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(Rocko Menzyk / Alta Ski Area / FOX Weather)

‘Devastated beyond words’

Families of six of the victims issued a joint statement identifying six of the eight avalanche victims as: Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt.

Late Thursday, a representative with JVP Communications shared a statement with our affiliate, KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco, on behalf of the families. It reads:

"We are devastated beyond words. Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women. They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors. They were passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains. They lived in the Bay Area, Idaho, and the Truckee–Tahoe region.

We have many unanswered questions, but here is what we know at this time: Eight close friends planned a professionally guided, two-night backcountry hut trip to Frog Lake Huts outside Truckee, California. The trip had been organized well in advance. They were experienced backcountry skiers who deeply respected the mountains. They were trained and prepared for backcountry travel and trusted their professional guides on this trip. They were fully equipped with avalanche safety equipment.

We are profoundly grateful for the extensive rescue efforts by Nevada County Search and Rescue, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue and all of the authorities involved, and for the outpouring of support from the Tahoe community and beyond.

We are heartbroken and are doing our best to care for one another and our families in the way we know these women would have wanted. We are asking for privacy and space as our families grieve this sudden and profound loss."

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Avalanche Warnings persist for the region Friday. Tahoe National Forest announced on Thursday that all national forest lands and trails in the Castle Peak area following the Feb. 17 avalanche.

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They expect the closure to remain in effect for about a month.

The purple map identifies Castle Peak Avalanche closure area in the Tahoe National Forest issued on Feb. 19 by the U.S. Forest Service.

(U.S. Forest Service)

California is expected to get respite from the snow Friday and Saturday before storms return sometime Sunday.

Soda Springs, California, which is just a few miles from the avalanche site, has tallied more than 7.5 feet of snow since Sunday.

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Harrowing rescue operation

First responders rescued six of the 15-person party late Tuesday after a grueling, hours-long, multi-agency operation.

A group of 11 clients and four professional guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides were on the final leg of their three-day backcountry excursion when the avalanche struck around 11:30 a.m. local time.

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One guide was among the four men and two women who were saved. The survivors were able to shelter and contact emergency responders through the SOS function on an iPhone.

Two of those rescued were hospitalized and one has since been released.

Two teams of roughly 50 skilled rescue workers and volunteers were dispatched to the avalanche site a few miles north of Interstate 80, which was closed at the time due to heavy snow.

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Tuesday's avalanche on Castle Peak, a rugged area in the Donner Pass region of California's northern Sierra, killed at least 8 skiers, officials said Wednesday. 

(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)

The initial rescue team arrived at the scene by ski around 5:30 p.m. after snowcats and other heavy rescue equipment were hampered by extreme blizzard conditions and the constant threat of secondary slides, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said Wednesday.

"Extreme weather conditions, I would say, is an understatement," Moon said.

Nevada County Sheriff's office look at a map of the mountains amid search and rescue operations. 

(Nevada County Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)

The two survivors who were injured had to be carried out of the backcountry by rescue teams to the waiting snowcats.

Some of the rescued said some people were able to yell "avalanche," just before being overtaken, Nevada County Sheriff Operations Captain Rusty Greene said.

The avalanche marks the deadliest in the  U.S. since 1981.

(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)

All eight people located dead were wearing avalanche beacons, the sheriff's office said.

Avalanche Warnings were in place during the time of the tragedy as heavy winds and snowfall created dangerous conditions.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, 30 mph gusts were recorded at the time of the avalanche.

This graphic shows the location of the deadly avalanche.

(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)

Weeks of dry weather created prime avalanche conditions

Experts said the threat was compounded by the weeks of dry weather California and other parts of the West were experiencing before the storm.

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"When we have long dry periods with snow on the ground, we form weak layers in the snowpack," Dr. Ethan Greene told FOX Weather Now Wednesday.

"And you get a bunch of snow on top of it, that's where the avalanches break," Dr. Greene continued.

This phenomenon is known as a "persistent weak layer," which Dr. Greene said the local avalanche center warned about at the time.

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Officials noted that the avalanche was roughly 100 yards in length and about a mile from another avalanche that happened in January.

They described it as a D2.5 on the Avalanche Destruction Scale — a standardized system used across North America and Europe to categorize the power and potential impact of an avalanche.

Avalanche destruction scale.

(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)

‘The saddest event our team has ever experienced'

The sheriff's office said the group was departing from the nearby Frog Lake backcountry huts, attempting to return to the trailhead. 

Sheriff Moon said Blackbird Mountain Guides, the ski excursion company, was very cooperative with law enforcement and were part of the response. 

She said conversations were ongoing between the company and law enforcement regarding the decision to depart from the campsite.

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In a statement, the ski company said all the guides were either part of the American Mountain Guides Association or certified in backcountry skiing.

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"This was an enormous tragedy, and the saddest event our team has ever experienced," Zeb Blais, founder of Blackbird Mountain Guides, wrote.

"In addition to mourning the loss of six clients, we also mourn the loss of three highly experienced members of our guide team. We are doing what we can to support the families who lost so much, and the members of our team who lost treasured friends and colleagues," Blais continued.

The survivors range in age from 30 to 55. 

Check back for updates on this developing story.