The 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.

Experts say a weekslong “snow drought” in Norther California's Sierra Nevada helped set the stage for Tuesday's deadly avalanche, after several feet of new snow fell on an earlier layer that had hardened.

An autopsy has confirmed that a body found inside a car submerged in a Northern California reservoir is that of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni, who disappeared after a large youth party earlier this month.

Authorities believe a body found in a Northern California reservoir is that of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni, who went missing after attending a large party at a Sierra Nevada campground two weeks ago.