AUBURN, Mass. — The family of an Auburn woman says she's been declared dead after avalanches hit the Tibetan mountain she was attempting to summit. 

Christy Rzucidlo confirmed on Facebook Chinese authorities declared both her sister Gina and her guide deceased.  

Gina Rzucidlo graduated from Auburn High School. The mountaineer was attempting to become the first American woman to climb the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. Rzucidlo and her guide were reportedly only meters from the top when the avalanches hit.

In Christy Rzucidlo's post, she says the Chinese government denied requests for a helicopter search. The mountain is closed, and a search could happen when the weather is more favorable in the spring. 

Gina Rzucidlo was 45 years old.