SODA SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Six women killed in an avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada were among a group of eight close friends and experienced backcountry skiers on a trip together, their families said in a statement Thursday.
“They were experienced backcountry skiers who deeply respected the mountains,” the statement said. “They were trained and prepared for backcountry travel and trusted their professional guides on this trip. They were fully equipped with avalanche safety equipment.”
kAm%F6D52J’D 2G2=2?496[ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42=:7@C?:2\2G2=2?496\324<4@F?ECJ\D<:6CD\C6D4F6\>:DD:?8\7f3c2gh4bg27ebc6bh2`da2gfc53`f7_Qm5625=:6DE 😕 E96 &]$]k^2m 😕 564256D[ <:==65 6:89E A6@A=6] $:I DFCG:G65 E96 5:D2DE6C]k^Am
kAmxE H:== 36 2E =62DE 2?@E96C 52J 367@C6 4C6HD 42? 2EE6>AE E@ C64@G6C E96 3@5:6D 2?5 4@?E:?F6 E96 D62C49 7@C 2 ?:?E9 A6CD@? DE:== >:DD:?8 2?5 AC6DF>65 5625[ D2:5 pD9=6J “F25C@D[ 2 DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C E96 }6G252 r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46]k^Am
kAm%96 D<:6CD 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= 8F:56D 42F89E 2G2=2?496 F?56CDE@@5 E96 52?86CD @7 EC6<<:?8 E9C@F89 E96 C6>@E6 H:=56C?6DD @7 E96 $:6CC2 }6G252]k^Am
kAm%96J 925 4=@D6 E:6D E@ {2<6 %29@6VD 2=A:?6 4@>>F?:EJ[ H:E9 D@>6 4@??64E65 E@ 2? 24256>J 7@C 4@>A6E:E:G6 D<:6CD] ~?6 G:4E:> H2D >2CC:65 E@ 2 324<4@F?ECJ C6D4F6 E62> >6>36C] p >2J@C ?62C $2? uC2?4:D4@ D2:5 E96 8C@FA :?4=F565 >@>D 7C@> E96 q2J pC62]k^Am
kAmqFE H92E E96 8F:56D 2?5 E96:C E@FC 4@>A2?J 6H 23@FE E96 H2C?:?8D 2?5 C:D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42=:7@C?:2\DE@C>\7@C642DE\D?@H\H:?5\C2:?\beac4hha2e724g5bfbd3e`36772d_h6gQmA@H6C7F= H:?E6C DE@C>k^2m E92E 3=2DE65 E96 >@F?E2:?D 5FC:?8 E96 EC:A 2?5 H9J E96J AC6DD65 @? 😀 ?@H A2CE @7 :?G6DE:82E:@?D]k^Am
kAmxE H:== 36 2E =62DE 2?@E96C 52J 367@C6 4C6HD 42? 2EE6>AE E@ C64@G6C E96 3@5:6D 2?5 4@?E:?F6 E96 D62C49 7@C 2 ?:?E9 A6CD@? DE:== >:DD:?8 2?5 AC6DF>65 5625[ D2:5 pD9=6J “F25C@D[ 2 DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C E96 }6G252 r@F?EJ $96C:77’D ~77:46]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 @? E96 >@F?E2:?[ 3FE E96J 2C6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 36 23=6 E@ D276=J C6249 E96>[” D96 D2:5 %9FCD52J] “%96 H62E96C 4@?5:E:@?D 2C6 C62==J 52?86C@FD]”k^Am
kAm$6G6C2= >@C6 766E @7 D?@H 4@F=5 72== 2C@F?5 {2<6 %29@6 @? %9FCD52J 2?5 4@?E:?F6 E@ 56DE23:=:K6 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2G2=2?496\=2<6\E29@6\D:6CC2\?6G252\42=:7@C?:2\D<:6CD\7g2746`6ff3c`fc`gh465f_4aabfc_`cQm7C28:=6 D?@HA24A9 W`__ @C?:?8] %29@6 }2E:@?2= u@C6DE =2?5D 😕 E96 r2DE=6 !62< 2C62 H6C6 2=D@ 4=@D65 E@ E96 AF3=:4 F?E:= |2C49 `d 😕 C6DA@?D6 E@ E96 EC2865J]k^Am
kAm~77:4:2=D 92G6 ?@E J6E C6=62D65 E96 ?2>6D @7 E9@D6 H9@ H6C6 <:==65]k^Am
k9ampG2=2?496 G:4E:>D H6C6 7C@> 2 ‘4@??64E65 4@>>F?:EJ’k^9am
kAm%96 `d D<:6CD[ >@DE @7 E96> H@>6?[ 3682? E96:C E9C66\52J EC:A @? $F?52J ;FDE 2D H2C?:?8D 23@FE E96 DE@C> H6C6 :?E6?D:7J:?8] %96J DA6?E E96 H66<6?5 DE2J:?8 2=@?8 uC@8 {2<6 😕 9:89 4@F?ECJ 9FED 2446DD:3=6 @?=J 3J 492==6?8:?8 EC2:=D]k^Am
kAm$@>6 92G6 E:6D H:E9 E96 6=:E6 $F82C q@H= p4256>J[ H9:49 :DDF65 2 DE2E6>6?E =2E6 (65?6D52J >@FC?:?8 E96 =@DD @7 D<:6CD H:E9 “DEC@?8 4@??64E:@?D E@ $F82C q@H=[ s@??6C $F>>:E 2?5 E96 324<4@F?ECJ 4@>>F?:EJ]”k^Am
kAm!6C4965 @? s@??6C $F>>:E[ E96 24256>J 😀 2 AC:G2E6 3@2C5:?8 2?5 52J D49@@= 7@C 4@>A6E:E:G6 D<:6CD 2?5 D?@H3@2C56CD] xED 7@C>6C DEF56?ED :?4=F56 >F=E:A=6 ~=J>A:2?D]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 2? :?4C65:3=J 4=@D6 2?5 4@??64E65 4@>>F?:EJ[” $F82C q@H= p4256>J 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C $E6A96? |4|29@? D2:5 😕 E96 DE2E6>6?E] “%9:D EC2865J 92D 27764E65 6249 2?5 6G6CJ @?6 @7 FD]”k^Am
kAm%H@ D:DE6CD H6C6 2>@?8 E96 5625[ E96:C 3C@E96C[ |4p=:DE6C r=232F89[ E@=5 %96 }6H *@C< %:>6D] r2C@=:?6 $6<2C[ 2 >@E96C @7 EH@[ =:G65 😕 $2? uC2?4:D4@[ 2?5 {:K r=232F89 =:G65 😕 q@:D6[ x529@] %96:C 3C@E96C D2:5 E96J H6C6 @? E96 EC:A H:E9 4=@D6 7C:6?5D 7C@> 4@==686]k^Am
kAm“%96 :562 E92E E96J 2C6 3@E9 8@?6 :D[ x 5@?’E 6G6? @H 9@H E@ AFE :E :?E@ H@C5D[” r=232F89 D2:5] w:D 6>A=@J6C =2E6C E@=5 E96 p! E92E 96 2?5 9:D 72>:=J 2D<65 7@C AC:G24J H9:=6 E96J 8C:6G6]k^Am
kAm|2J@C |2I !6CC6J @7 |2C:? r@F?EJ’D |:== ‘2==6J[ 2 4:EJ ;FDE ?@CE9 @7 $2? uC2?4:D4@[ 4@?7:C>65 E92E D@>6 😕 E96 8C@FA H6C6 >@E96CD 7C@> 9:D 4:EJ]k^Am
kAm~?6 @7 E96 G:4E:>D H2D >2CC:65 E@ 2 >6>36C @7 2 324<4@F?ECJ D62C49 2?5 C6D4F6 E62> 😕 E96 2C62[ D2:5 !=246C r@F?EJ $96C:77 (2J?6 (@@]k^Am
k9am%@FC 4@>A2?J D2JD 8F:56D H6C6 9:89=J 6IA6C:6?465k^9am
kAm%96 7@FC 8F:56D H6C6 6>A=@J65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^42=:7@C?:2\2G2=2?496\3=24<3:C5\>@F?E2:?\8F:56D\3e5df55ag2e3f4f_`3e46“a36g75g`gQmq=24<3:C5 |@F?E2:? vF:56Dk^2m[ H9:49 @776CD >@F?E2:?66C:?8 2?5 324<4@F?ECJ D<: EC:AD 2D H6== 2D D276EJ 4@FCD6D] ~?6 @7 E96> H2D 2>@?8 E96 D:I DFCG:G@CD] %96 4@>A2?J D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E E92E :E =2F?4965 2? :?G6DE:82E:@?]k^Am
kAmq=24<3:C5’D H63D:E6 D2JD E96 E@FC H2D :?E6?565 7@C :?E6C>65:2E6 E@ 6IA6CE D<:6CD]k^Am
kAm%96 8F:56D H:E9 E96 8C@FA H6C6 EC2:?65 @C 46CE:7:65 😕 324<4@F?ECJ D<::?8[ 2?5 H6C6 :?DECF4E@CD H:E9 E96 p>6C:42? x?DE:EFE6 7@C pG2=2?496 #6D62C49 2?5 t5F42E:@?] (9:=6 😕 E96 7:6=5[ E96J “2C6 😕 4@>>F?:42E:@? H:E9 D6?:@C 8F:56D 2E @FC 32D6[ E@ 5:D4FDD 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 C@FE:?8 32D65 FA@? 4@?5:E:@?D[” 7@F?56C +63 q=2:D D2:5 😕 E96 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am
kAm“(6 5@?’E 92G6 2== E96 2?DH6CD J6E[ 2?5 :E >2J 36 D@>6 E:>6 367@C6 H6 5@[” E96 4@>A2?J D2:5[ 2D<:?8 A6@A=6 E@ C67C2:? 7C@> DA64F=2E:?8 H9:=6 :E C6G:6HD H92E 92AA6?65]k^Am
kAm“%9:D H2D 2? 6?@C>@FD EC2865J[ 2?5 E96 D2556DE 6G6?E @FC E62> 92D 6G6C 6IA6C:6?465] x? 255:E:@? E@ >@FC?:?8 E96 =@DD @7 D:I 4=:6?ED[ H6 2=D@ >@FC? E96 =@DD @7 E9C66 9:89=J 6IA6C:6?465 >6>36CD @7 @FC 8F:56 E62>[” q=2:D D2:5]k^Am
k9am”F6DE:@?D =:?86C 23@FE H9J E96 EC:A 4@?E:?F65k^9am
kAm}6G252 r@F?EJ $96C:77 $92??2? |@@? D2:5 2FE9@C:E:6D H:== :?G6DE:82E6 H9J E96 8F:56D AC@466565 H:E9 E96 E@FC 56DA:E6 E96 7@C642DE]k^Am
kAmr2=:7@C?:2’D s:G:D:@? @7 ~44FA2E:@?2= $276EJ 2?5 w62=E9[ 2 DE2E6 286?4J E92E C68F=2E6D H@C:?6 :7 E96 4@>A2?J G:@=2E65 r2=:7@C?:2 =2H]k^Am
kAm%96 $:6CC2 pG2=2?496 r6?E6C 925 :DDF65 2? 2G2=2?496 H2E49 $F?52J >@C?:?8[ E96 7:CDE 52J @7 E96 EC:A[ :?5:42E:?8 2 9:89 C:D< @7 =2C86 2G2=2?496D]k^Am
kAmxE’D ?@E F?4@>>@? 7@C 324<4@F?ECJ D<:6CD E@ 8@ @FE H96? E96C6 😀 2? 2G2=2?496 H2E49 @C 6G6? 2 H2C?:?8[ 2G2=2?496 D276EJ 6IA6CED D2J] x? 2G2=2?496 E6CC2:? E92E 4@G6CD >2?J 324<4@F?ECJ 2C62D[ D=:56D @44FC C68F=2C=J 3FE @7E6? 8@ F??@E:465] tG6? :7 A6@A=6 92G6 D:8?2=D E@ <66A FA H:E9 E96 7@C642DE 2?5 492?8:?8 4@?5:E:@?D[ E96C6 😀 ?@ D:?8=6 H2J E@ C624E]k^Am
kAm{62G:?8 4@F=5 D6E @77 2? 2G2=2?496[ H9:=6 DE2J:?8 AFE 4@F=5 <66A A6@A=6 😕 :ED A2E9] xE H2D?’E 4=62C :7 E96 8F:56D @? E96 EC:A H6C6 2H2C6 @7 E96 2G2=2?496 H2C?:?8[ 3FE E96J 2C6 EC2:?65 E@ E6DE E96 D?@H 2?5 2DD6DD 4@?5:E:@?D @? E96 8C@F?5]k^Am
kAmpFE9@C:E:6D D2:5 E96 D:I DFCG:G@CD D4@FC65 E96 D?@H 7@C E96 >:DD:?8[ 7:?5:?8 E9C66 @7 E96 5625 H9:=6 E96J H2:E65 D:I 9@FCD %F6D52J 7@C 96=A E@ 2CC:G6 😕 3=:KK2C5 4@?5:E:@?D] pE =62DE @?6 8F:56 H2D 23=6 E@ D6?5 E6IE >6DD286D] %H@ @7 E9@D6 C6D4F65 H6C6 E2<6? E@ 2 9@DA:E2= 3FE 3@E9 92G6 D:?46 366? C6=62D65]k^Am
kAm%96 2G2=2?496 😀 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^5625=:6DE\2G2=2?496D\FD\9:DE@CJ\42=:7@C?:2\E29@6\7ce4d2_c23dh62f37`e`g2aecb6`dab7QmE96 5625=:6DE 😕 E96 &]$] D:?46 `hg`k^2m[ H96? “ 4=:>36CD H6C6 <:==65 @? |@F?E #2:?:6C 😕 (2D9:?8E@? DE2E6]k^Am
kAmx? &E29[ 2 >2? C:5:?8 2 D?@H>@3:=6 5:65 😕 2? 2G2=2?496 (65?6D52J[ E96 (2D2E49 r@F?EJ D96C:77’D @77:46 D2:5] %96 D96C:77’D @77:46 D2:5 96 5:5?’E DFCG:G6 56DA:E6 E96 “4@FC286@FD 677@CED” @7 9:D J@F?8 D@? H9@ 5F8 9:> @FE @7 E96 D?@H] x? 2 D6A2C2E6 :?4:56?E 😕 $2=E {2<6 r@F?EJ[ 2 8:C= H2D 😕 4C:E:42= 4@?5:E:@? 27E6C 36:?8 42F89E 😕 2 324<4@F?ECJ 2G2=2?496]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAm(2ED@? C6A@CE65 7C@> $2? s:68@[ 2?5 $66H6C 7C@> %@=65@[ ~9:@] pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD HC:E6CD |2EE96H qC@H? 😕 q:==:?8D[ |@?E2?2j w2==:6 v@=56? 😕 $62EE=6j #]y] #:4@ 😕 pE=2?E2j 2?5 r9C:DE@A96C (636C 😕 {@D p?86=6D 4@?EC:3FE65]k^Am