A bad avalanche happened near Castle Peak in California. It killed eight skiers. One person is still missing. The avalanche happened on Tuesday afternoon. The mountain community is very sad. A search for the missing person has started.
Eight bodies were found on Wednesday. They were under a lot of snow. The skiers were in a group of fifteen. Six other skiers were saved from the snow. They are safe but had a bad experience. The avalanche was very large. It happened around 11:30 AM.
Police are investigating why it happened. A lot of snow fell very fast. This made it hard to find people. More snow fell after the avalanche. This made the area dangerous for rescue teams. An official said the conditions were "pretty horrific."
The bodies of the eight victims are still in the snow. It is too dangerous to get them out now. They will be moved when it is safe. The sheriff said they are still looking for the ninth skier. He thinks this person has also died.
This tragedy has affected many people. One of the rescue team members lost their spouse. The sheriff sent his sympathy to the families. The families of the eight victims have been told.
An official talked about the dangers of skiing in the mountains. People must follow safety rules. The reason the group was there is not clear. This event shows how powerful nature can be. The search for the last skier continues. The community is sad about this big loss.