Dangerous conditions in search for skiers missing in avalanche near California’s Lake Tahoe

“It took us several hours to even get resources deployed,” Capt. Russell Green with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office told CBS News.

Blizzard-like conditions with blinding snow have pummeled the region for two days. In nearby Truckee, 30 inches of snow fell in just 24 hours — shutting down parts of the interstate in both directions and leaving cars and trucks stranded.

Greene said the area where the skiers are is “tough to access” and warned “the more people that we have up there, the higher chance of another incident happening.”

The missing skiers who are believed to be trapped were part of a group of 15 skiers and guides on a trip in the Castle Peak area, which is known for deep snow and rugged terrain with no trails and no ski patrol. 

Six of the skiers were rescued and sustained “varying injuries,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. Two of the six were hospitalized for treatment.

According to the sheriff’s office, the Sierra Avalanche Center previously issued an avalanche warning stating, “High avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected to occur Tuesday, Tuesday night, and into at least early Wednesday morning across backcountry terrain. High avalanche danger might continue through the day on Wednesday.”

In an updated warning issued Wednesday morning, the center said “large avalanches are expected across backcountry terrain” and “high avalanche danger” could continue through Thursday.