Eight Die, One Missing in California’s Deadliest Backcountry Avalanche

A 15‑person backcountry group, including four guides, faced a deadly blizzard‑driven avalanche above Donner Pass near the Frog Lake huts in the Sierra Nevada. Eight skiers were killed, one is missing and presumed dead, and six survived (two hospitalized). The eight bodies remained on the mountain Tuesday–Wednesday due to ongoing severe weather, as rescue crews worked through whiteout conditions. The disaster sparked scrutiny of the guiding company’s decision to proceed in the forecasted storm, while officials urged caution about backcountry travel amid dangerous avalanche conditions.