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Recovery efforts on hold in deadly Sierra avalanche
Authorities say the conditions are too unsafe to retrieve the bodies of eight confirmed victims who died in the Sierra avalanche. A ninth victim is missing and presumed dead.
TRUCKEE, Calif. - California workplace safety officials are launching an investigation into the catastrophic avalanche near Lake Tahoe's Castle Peak and the tour company at the center of the deadly backcountry ski trip.
Cal/OSHA confirmed Thursday that it is now "conducting an investigation into the avalanche incident involving guides employed by Blackbird Mountain Guides LLC."
Fifteen skiers were caught in the avalanche on Tuesday on the final day of their backcountry ski trip.
A total of eight skiers were killed in the avalanche and another is presumed dead, Nevada County officials said Wednesday. Six other skiers survived and were rescued late Tuesday, hours after the avalanche occurred.
Cal/OSHA investigation into Blackbird Mountain Guides
Cal/OSHA is within California's Department of Industrial Relations and investigates workplace hazards reported by employees and employee representatives. The agency also investigates violations reported by law enforcement and accidents that resulted in "serious injury, illness or death."
"Cal/OSHA conducts inspections of workplaces when they receive a complaint of a workplace safety or health hazard or report of a fatality or serious work-related injury or illness," the agency said. "Employers and fire and police departments are required to report such serious accidents to Cal/OSHA. Cal/OSHA may also conduct targeted inspections without a complaint or accident report, or whenever the inspector sees a workplace hazard in plain view."
After an investigation, Cal/OSHA typically issues various citations, orders, permits, certifications and more in response to a hazard.
The agency is required to issue any citations within six months of when a violation occurs.
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Tahoe Avalanche: 8 dead and 1 missing
Tahoe avalanche on Tuesday morning leaves 8 dead and 1 missing
Lake Tahoe avalanche: What we know
The group of 15 was on a three-day backcountry ski trip to Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot mountain with rugged terrain near Lake Tahoe, north of Donner Summit. The skiers had stayed at Frog Lake huts with Blackbird Mountain Guides, authorities said, and were on the final day of their trip.
"This is a backcountry area, rugged terrain where we have a lot of recreation in the summer, hiking and in the winter," said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said Wednesday.
The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a backcountry avalanche warning as early as Sunday for the Lake Tahoe Basin, which included the Castle Peak area.
The avalanche, which was about the length of a football field, occurred Tuesday between 11:30 a.m. and noon, authorities said. The six survivors were found buried in the snow, by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. that night.
The mayor of Mill Valley said Thursday that some of the backcountry skiers were women from his city, though he did not share their identities or specify whether they were among the survivors or victims.
Some of the skiers killed were members of the Sugar Bowl Academy community – a private boarding school and ski/snowboard club.
The Source: Previous KTVU reporting on the Lake Tahoe avalanche and Cal/OSHA