A group of mothers on a ski trip is reportedly among the victims of an avalanche in California that has become one of the deadliest in the state’s history.
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, around 11:30 a.m. local time, authorities received a 911 call reporting an avalanche in the Castle Peak area of Tahoe National Forest, according to Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon.
A group of 15 skiers — 11 clients and four guides — was caught in the avalanche at the end of a three-day backcountry skiing trip near Lake Tahoe, according to Blackbird Mountain Guides, which organized the trip. Early reports indicated that nine people were missing and six survived.
Sheriff Moon said eight of the missing were later found dead. Seven of the victims were women, and one additional skier is presumed dead. The victims’ identities have not been released.
After the sheriff’s press conference, a report cited a source saying the deceased included a group of mothers whose children are part of a ski team at the nearby Sugar Bowl Resort. The trip was not connected to the resort, but was described as a longstanding annual tradition in which families took turns traveling for ski outings.
Sugar Bowl Academy, a ski school affiliated with the resort, also confirmed that multiple members of its community — as well as others closely connected to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit, and the backcountry community — were among those killed. The academy did not provide further details, citing family privacy.
“We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected each and every one of us,” the academy’s executive director, Stephen McMahon, said in a statement. He added that the community’s focus is on supporting the athletes and families while allowing space and time for grief and healing.
Authorities said the six survivors included two men and four women, ranging in age from 30 to 55. One survivor was a guide and the other five were part of the tour. Two people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; one has since been released, while the other remained hospitalized.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/castle-peak-avalanche2-21826-142a24bae76542b284a238038978ba44.jpg)
Sheriff Moon said members of the group were able to locate three of the victims before rescuers arrived. She also said rescuers received information through the iPhone SOS feature before reaching the group.
An avalanche warning was in effect from 5 a.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service cautioned that rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and strong winds drifting snow had created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Officials warned the risk of avalanches across California’s Sierra Nevada could persist throughout the week.
In a statement, Blackbird Mountain Guides founder Zeb Blais called the deaths an enormous tragedy and said the company was temporarily suspending field operations. He noted the guides on the trip were well credentialed and urged the public not to speculate as the investigation continues.
