Survivors of the devastating Lake Tahoe-area avalanche that killed nine skiers said the group welcomed the treacherous conditions that ultimately cost them their lives.
Before the tragedy, a major winter storm was expected to drop as much as eight feet of snow on the area around Castle Peak, where the ill-fated backcountry adventurers planned their trek.
Despite warnings from local authorities of widespread avalanche activity, many in the group saw the coming storm as a bonus, according to the New York Times.
Survivor Jim Hamilton said that those leading the tour for Blackbird Blackbird Mountain Guides told him not to fret when the weather discussion took place because the experts would stick to a safe path.
One guide even said “there would be so much powder that no one would care,” the Times reported.
He and another survivor, Anton Auzans, recalled that as the avalanche threat rose, four guides met privately away from the group to plot out their next moves.
It’s unclear whether the guides knew of the potentially deadly forecasts or checked in with their headquarters, as their discussion happened behind closed doors.
The guides did not ask the skiers if they had any concerns.
“I didn’t say anything,” Auzans told the Times. “I’m not an expert, and so I decided to trust the plan.”
Hamilton avoided the worst of the avalanche because a broken ski binding slowed him down.
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When the mountain gave way, Auzans described plowing through snow that hardened “more like cement” than powder.
Trapped, he thought about his 3-year-old son and the possibility of never seeing him again. The thought kept him going.
Once free, he and Hamilton spent hours in the blizzard.
By the time help arrived, the survivors had already found three bodies.
“We were all in danger. We did as much as we could. We pushed until we started finding people that were deceased. Making the decision to stop the search was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Auzans said.
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