6 victims of Tahoe avalanche ID'd; families 'devastated beyond words'
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Six of the nine victims in California’s deadliest modern avalanche were part of a close-knit group of moms from Northern California and Idaho who planned the backcountry ski trip near Lake Tahoe, while the other three were professional guides.
- The group of 15, including four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, was at the end of a three-day skiing expedition to the Frog Lake huts when the avalanche occurred amid a severe winter storm that dropped several feet of unstable snow.
- Families identified six women among the deceased, describing them as experienced backcountry skiers who respected the mountains and were fully equipped with safety gear, while three certified guides also died despite their extensive training.
- Rescue efforts faced extreme weather challenges; six people, including one guide and two
