Family of 6 mothers killed in California avalanche ‘beyond words’

The families of the six women killed in America’s deadliest blizzard in 40 years say they were all married mothers who were “connected by the love of the outdoors.”

In a statement sent to USA Today on Thursday, February 19, the families identified their loved ones as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Daniel Keightley, Kate Morse, Carolyn Secker and Kate Witt. Eight of the eight people were killed in an avalanche in the backcountry of California’s Sierra Nevada on February 17, right next to Lake Tahoe. A ninth person could not be rescued and is presumed dead, while there are six survivors.

“We are devastated beyond words,” family members said. “Our focus now is to support our children through this incredible tragedy and to honor the lives of these extraordinary women … They were passionate, skilled skiers who spent time together in the mountains.”

The women lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Lake Tahoe-Truckee area, and Idaho.

Truckee-based Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company that guided the women on the trip, is facing questions about why the backcountry adventure went ahead despite dire warnings about storms that brought up to 8 feet of fresh snow and created “very dangerous” avalanche conditions.

“We have a lot of unanswered questions,” the families said. “But what we do know at this point: Eight close friends planned a professionally guided, two-night backcountry hut trip to the Frog Lake Huts outside Truckee, California. The trip was well organized in advance. They were experienced backcountry skiers who deeply respected the mountains. They were trained and prepared for their professional trip.

Here’s more from the families and what Blackbird Mountain guides are saying about the tragedy.

Blackbird Mountain Guides founder: Guides were ‘highly experienced’

The four guides who led the 11 guests into and across the backcountry were “extremely experienced,” Blackbird Mountain Guides founder Jeb Blais said in a Feb. 18 statement.

“We still have a lot to learn about what happened,” he said. “It’s too early to draw conclusions, but the investigation is ongoing … We urge people following this tragedy to refrain from speculating. We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do.”

Blais called the avalanche “a great tragedy” and “the saddest thing our team has ever experienced.”

“We are doing everything we can to support the families who have lost so much and our team members who have lost valuable friends and colleagues,” he said.

Blais said all the guides were trained or certified in backcountry skiing by the American Mountain Guides Association, and they all had extensive knowledge of avalanches.

“Additionally, field guides are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routes based on conditions,” he said.

Looking at the decisions made by the authorities

Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon said at a news conference on February 18 that authorities are investigating the “totality” of the tragedy. This includes finding out why the trip was not cancelled.

“There’s a lot of predictability in this storm,” Moon said. “Those are the decisions that the guide company obviously made. We’re still in discussions with them on the decision factors that they made.”

She said getting to the bottom of the major questions surrounding the tragedy is her top priority.

“I think that’s the core piece of my mind, wanting to be able to respond to the affected families, the guide members in attendance and the customers who paid for this trip,” she said.

Victims’ families: Loved ones ‘fully equipped’ for avalanche

The families said in a statement Thursday that their loved ones were “fully equipped with avalanche safety equipment.”

“We are heartbroken and doing our best to take care of each other and our families as we know these women would have wanted,” the families said. “We are asking for privacy and space as our families grieve this sudden and profound loss.”

Officials have not released the identities of the other victims of the avalanche.

Some of the victims were members of an elite skiing academy

Some of those killed were members of the elite Sugar Bowl Skiing Academy, the school said in a statement. “Sugar Bowl Academy is focused on supporting its players, students, staff and families through this tragedy.”

Sugar Bowl Academy is an independent, coed boarding and day school for competitive skiers in grades 8-12 located in Norden, California near Lake Tahoe.

The academy focuses on developing high-caliber athletes, with graduates frequently moving on to U.S. ski teams and NCAA Division I programs. It has produced numerous elite skiers, most notably for the United States and international ski teams, with eight alumni named to the 2022 Winter Olympics. Notable alumni include World Cup winner Alice Robinson, US Olympian Luke Winters and Freeride World Tour champion Isaac Freeland.

“The Sugar Bowl Academy community will continue to be there in the months and years ahead for families who have lost loved ones,” the school said.

“We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected all of us,” said Executive Director Stephen McMahon. “The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support, while providing the space and time they need to grieve and heal.”

Contributing: Mike James, USA Today

This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Families mourn 6 mothers killed in California blizzard: ‘Devastating’