Carrie Atkin,Liz Clabaugh Obituary, Death;- On Thursday, families identified six of the eight individuals who lost their lives in an avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada.
Rescue teams aimed to continue their efforts on Friday to recover the bodies of the eight victims and to find one person who remains unaccounted for in what has been described as the deadliest avalanche in the United States in decades.
In a statement, the families named Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, and Kate Vitt. According to their families, they were part of a close-knit circle of friends who were seasoned backcountry skiers, well-versed in navigating the alpine wilderness.
The families issued the following statement:
“We are devastated beyond words.
“Our current focus is on supporting our children through this unimaginable tragedy and honoring the lives of these remarkable women. They were all mothers, wives, and friends, united by their love for the outdoors. They were passionate and skilled skiers who treasured their time together in the mountains. Their residences included the Bay Area, Idaho, and the Truckee–Tahoe region.
“While we have many unanswered questions, here is what we know at this moment: Eight close friends had planned a professionally guided, two-night backcountry hut trip to Frog Lake Huts, located outside Truckee, California. This trip was organized well in advance. They were experienced backcountry skiers who held a deep respect for the mountains. They were trained and prepared for backcountry travel and placed their trust in their professional guides for this journey. They were fully equipped with avalanche safety gear.
We are profoundly grateful for the extensive rescue efforts by Nevada County Search and Rescue, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue and all of the authorities involved, and for the outpouring of support from the Tahoe community and beyond.
“We are heartbroken and are doing our best to care for one another and our families in the way we know these women would have wanted.
“We are asking for privacy and space as our families grieve this sudden and profound loss.”
Recovery efforts for the nine total victims were paused Thursday because of hazardous weather conditions, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies said the victims cannot be safely extracted from the mountain, and the effort is expected to continue into the weekend.
Fifteen backcountry skiers were on the final day of a three-day trip guided by Blackbird Mountain Guides to Frog Lake huts when the avalanche struck around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
