Some Wednesday Reads

 The worst avalanche in modern California history happened yesterday when at least eight, and likely nine, skiers on a backcountry outing were killed.  Six people survived the ordeal.

There has been a shit ton of snow hitting the region.  In southern Oregon, after weeks of little or no snow, we who live here have been hit with an onslaught, but whether it makes up for the dry spell remains to be seen.  Most of February was unseasonably warm here.

Snip from the article about the Tahoe tragedy:

The skiers, including four guides, had been finishing up a three-day backcountry expedition in a rugged but popular recreational area near Castle Peak. The six survivors were able to use a combination of emergency beacons and iPhone S.O.S. functions to contact rescuers, who braved treacherous conditions to reach them.

Two of the six survivors were taken to a hospital for treatment after being evacuated, Nevada County officials said in a news conference. One has since been released, and the other is still being treated with non-life-threatening injuries.

Searchers were unable to remove the bodies of the eight confirmed dead, officials said, and it was unclear on Wednesday when they might be able to return, with more significant snowfall in the forecast through the weekend.

Report:

From the NYT:

Multiple skiers who died after being caught in the avalanche were members of the Sugar Bowl Academy community, a private boarding school and ski club near Donner Summit, according to school officials, who said they were not releasing names out of respect for the families affected.