Tuesday’s disaster came about a month after two skiers were killed in an avalanche in the Washington Cascades, a grim reminder of how conditions can turn deadly.

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. — On a snowy Wednesday at Snoqualmie Pass, Jasper Boas was doing what families across Washington do all winter — taking his two kids out on the mountain, teaching them to snowboard. 

But Tuesday’s news from California was hard to shake. Boas used to live near Lake Tahoe, where at least eight backcountry skiers were killed in an avalanche, the deadliest in the United States in roughly half a century.

“It’s awful,” said Boas. “Avalanches happen, and even the most seasoned veterans who go off-piste a lot can get caught up in that.”

Forecasters say it’s important to remain aware of avalanche danger at all times. Tuesday’s disaster came about a month after two skiers were killed in an avalanche in the Washington Cascades, a grim reminder of how quickly conditions can turn deadly.

Dallas Glass, an avalanche forecaster with the Northwest Avalanche Center, said the Cascades are stable right now, but forecasters are watching a storm system expected to bring heavy snowfall next week that could rapidly elevate avalanche danger. He urged the public to stay informed as conditions evolve.

The Northwest Avalanche Center records two to three avalanche deaths in Washington every year on average. Since 1950, 139 people have been killed by avalanches in the state.

For Boas, safety has always been on his mind. With his children on the mountain now, it weighs on him even more. He said Tuesday’s news from his former home state only reinforced what he already knew — you don’t take the mountains lightly.

“I’ve actually revisited my own safety rules, and so I try to model now what my kids do on the mountain,” Boas said.

With next week’s system on the horizon, forecasters are urging skiers and snowboarders to check the avalanche forecast before heading out. The Northwest Avalanche Center issues a forecast every evening at 6 p.m. for the following day. The center and other regional organizations also offer free avalanche awareness classes. Anyone venturing into the backcountry should carry a beacon, probe and shovel at minimum.

Tuesday’s avalanche occurred at the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe. A 911 caller reported the slide Tuesday morning. Fifteen skiers were on the final stretch of a guided backcountry tour organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides, which had warned travelers to exercise caution ahead of an approaching winter storm, when a wave of ice, rocks and debris came crashing down with little warning. Six people were found alive, huddled in a protected area near a stand of trees. Eight bodies have been recovered; one person remains missing. Continuous snowfall and another incoming storm are hampering the ongoing search.