Ten backcountry skiers are lacking following an avalanche in northern California on Tuesday, with a search and rescue operation underway amid “extremely harmful” situations, authorities stated.
The avalanche was reported noon Tuesday within the Fortress Peak space within the Sierra Nevada, in response to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Workplace.
A bunch of 16 skiers — together with 4 ski guides and 12 purchasers — encountered the avalanche, in response to the sheriff’s workplace. Six folks survived and are awaiting rescue on the avalanche website, whereas 10 stay unaccounted for, the sheriff’s workplace stated.
Rescuers are going through very troublesome situations, together with avalanche hazard themselves, in response to Brandon Schwartz, director of the Sierra Avalanche Heart, which forecasts avalanche situations within the space round Lake Tahoe. The world noticed 2 to three toes of latest snow within the final 36 hours and extra was nonetheless falling at 2 to 4 inches per hour, Schwartz instructed ABC Information.
The Sierra Avalanche Heart stated there was “excessive” avalanche hazard within the backcountry on Tuesday.
“Quickly accumulating snowfall, weak layers within the current snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created harmful avalanche situations within the mountains,” the middle stated. “Pure avalanches are possible, and human-triggered avalanches massive sufficient to bury or injure individuals are very possible.”
Snow falls, Feb. 17, 2026 in Truckee Calif.
Brooke Hess-Homeier/AP
The Sierra Avalanche Heart has issued an avalanche warning for the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Cross on the north and Ebbetts Cross on the south, together with the higher Lake Tahoe space, by Wednesday morning.
“Massive avalanches are anticipated to happen Tuesday, Tuesday evening, and into a minimum of early Wednesday morning throughout backcountry terrain,” the middle said, advising towards journey in, close to or beneath backcountry avalanche terrain. “HIGH avalanche hazard may proceed by the day on Wednesday.”
Whiteout situations have been reported within the area the place the avalanche occurred.
The California Freeway Patrol’s Truckee workplace warned that prime winds are “creating full whiteout situations” throughout the Donner Summit.
Interstate 80 over Donner Summit was closed in each instructions on Tuesday resulting from whiteout situations and poor visibility.
