Deadly Tahoe-area avalanche was probably triggered either by the ski party, or by nature, avalanche expert says

What triggered the avalanche last month near Lake Tahoe that killed nine skiers amid a fierce blizzard may forever remain a mystery, but the weight of accumulating snow or the group of skiers themselves are the likeliest causes, a Sierra Avalanche Center expert said.

“We really don’t know how it happened,” said Sierra Avalanche Center forecaster Steve Reynaud.

By the time the center’s staff were able to reach the site of the Feb. 17 slide, three days had passed and several feet of snow had blanketed the area, Reynaud said.