The avalanche that claimed the lives of eight skiers this week near Lake Tahoe in California is the deadliest in state history.
With avalanche warnings in effect through early Thursday, officials are still waiting for a powerful storm to clear so they can recover the bodies of the victims of Tuesday's avalanche, which struck near Frog Lake in the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe. Six of the 15 skiers involved in the avalanche survived, while one remains missing.
"The group involved four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides and 11 participants. They were returning to the trailhead on the last day of a three-day Hut Trip involving backcountry skiing. Five participants and one Blackbird guide survived the avalanche," Zeb Blais, founder of Blackbird Mountain Guides, San Gabriel Mountains, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement Wednesday night that it has launched an investigation and paused field operations at least through the weekend while it prioritizes supporting the victims’ families.
The company guides who led the group were trained or certified in backcountry skiing and were also instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.
While in the field, the guides "are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions," Blais added.
The Sierra Avalanche Center issued an avalanche watch Sunday morning. It was elevated to a warning by 5 a.m. Tuesday, indicating that avalanches were expected. It is not clear whether the guides would have known about the change before they began their return trek, the AP reported.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.