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Final Victim Recovered After Five‑Day Search in Lake Tahoe Avalanche

Updated (22 articles)
  • A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Image: Newsweek
    A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Source Full size
  • Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada.
    Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada.
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada. Source Full size
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  • Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.
    Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.
    Image: Newsweek
    Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. Source Full size
  • Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
    Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier) Source Full size
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  • Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026.
    Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026. Source Full size
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  • A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Image: Newsweek
    A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter flies toward the Castle Peak area as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Source Full size
  • Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.
    Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.
    Image: Newsweek
    Solitude, Utah, USA- May 19, 2023: Skiers and snowboarders enjoying a warm late spring day at Solitude ski resort. Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. Source Full size
  • Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada.
    Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada.
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada. Source Full size
  • Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026.
    Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026. Source Full size
  • Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
    Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
    Image: Newsweek
    Snow piles up along a road on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier) Source Full size
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  • Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Snow comes down on a dog as traffic is backed up along interstate 80 during a storm Thursday near Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) (Credit: AP) Source Full size

Avalanche Strikes Backcountry Group on Feb 17 Near Castle Peak

A massive D2.5 avalanche erupted at about 11:30 a.m. on Feb 17 in the Castle Peak area of Lake Tahoe, burying a 15‑person party on a guided three‑day ski trek organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides [4][6][12]. The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch at 6:49 a.m. and upgraded it to a high‑danger warning at 5 a.m., yet the group set out from Frog Lake huts on the final day of the trip [12][16]. The party comprised six women friends, four certified guides, and five additional skiers, many linked to the local Sugar Bowl Academy and elite ski community [7][11][14].

Rescue Teams Recover Six Survivors and Nine Victims

Six participants escaped the slide, using avalanche beacons and iPhone Emergency SOS satellite messages to alert rescuers, who arrived by snowcat and on foot after a six‑hour search in white‑out conditions [4][8][19]. Helicopters later sprayed water on the slide zone to stabilize the snowpack before the final body search [1][2]. On Feb 22, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon announced that the ninth missing skier was located dead, completing the recovery of all nine victims [1][2][5].

Victims Identified and Community Mourns

Authorities released the names of the nine deceased: six women—Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, Kate Vitt—and three Blackbird Mountain Guides—Andrew Alissandratos, Nicole Choo, Michael Henry [1][4][7]. Two of the women, Sekar and Clabaugh, were sisters; several victims were mothers, wives, and professionals in biotech, wine, and media [7][14]. Bodies remain on the slope because hazardous conditions prevent safe retrieval, and families have been notified but await forensic examinations [2][6][12].

Criminal‑Negligence and OSHA Probes Launched

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office opened a criminal‑negligence investigation, while California OSHA began a six‑month review of Blackbird Mountain Guides’ safety practices [6][9][16]. All four guides held American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education certifications, and the company emphasized risk‑management training on its website [6][16]. Investigators are examining why the group proceeded despite the avalanche watch and whether guides received the upgraded warning before departure [9][17][20].

Severe Weather Delays Recovery and Triggers Area Closure

Continued storm activity dumped three to six feet of new snow, generated gale‑force winds, and created white‑out conditions that hampered helicopter access and body recovery [1][10][14]. The U.S. Forest Service closed the Castle Peak region through March 15, restricting public entry while rescue crews continue the recovery mission [6][7][12]. Officials warned that the avalanche hazard remains high, urging backcountry travelers to stay out of the area until conditions improve [4][15][19].

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Timeline

Jan 2026 – A fatal avalanche in the Castle Peak area kills a snowmobiler, highlighting the region’s ongoing instability and foreshadowing the larger disaster weeks later [13].

Feb 17, 2026 (6:49 a.m.) – The Sierra Avalanche Center issues an avalanche watch for the Greater Lake Tahoe backcountry, warning that large avalanches could occur within 24‑48 hours [13].

Feb 17, 2026 (5:00 a.m.) – The watch upgrades to a high‑danger avalanche warning, signaling “HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry” just hours before the group departs [5].

Feb 17, 2026 (11:30 a.m.) – A D2.5‑size avalanche erupts near Castle Peak, burying a 15‑person Blackbird Mountain Guides party; eight skiers die, one is missing, and six survive after hours in a blizzard [12][6].

Feb 17, 2026 – The slide occurs amid a monster winter storm that deposits three to six feet of new snow, creating an extremely unstable snowpack and fueling the avalanche’s power [16].

Feb 17, 2026 – The event becomes the deadliest U.S. avalanche in 45 years and the worst since the 1981 Mount Rainier tragedy that claimed 11 climbers, underscoring its historic severity [5][12].

Feb 18, 2026 – Search teams deploy 46‑50 specialized responders, including snowcats and ski units, but white‑out conditions and ongoing snowfall delay recovery; nine skiers remain missing as crews shelter survivors in tarps [4][12].

Feb 18, 2026 – Nevada County Sheriff’s Office opens a criminal‑negligence probe and Cal/OSHA launches a six‑month investigation into Blackbird Mountain Guides, while the U.S. Forest Service closes the Castle Peak area through March 15 [6][10].

Feb 19, 2026 – The Sierra Avalanche Center issues a high‑avalanche‑danger alert that will remain in effect through Thursday, warning of continued large‑avalanche risk as the storm persists [11].

Feb 19, 2026 – Rescue crews, numbering roughly 50, use snowcats, beacons, and satellite SOS messages to locate six survivors and recover eight bodies, but the ninth victim remains unrecovered amid hazardous weather [12][3].

Feb 19, 2026 – Washington father Jasper Boas cites the California disaster while urging his children to prioritize safety, and Northwest Avalanche Center forecaster Dallas Glass warns that a coming storm could raise Cascades danger next week [21].

Feb 20, 2026 – Families identify six mothers among the dead, including sisters Liz Clabaugh and Caroline Sekar, confirming the personal toll on the Lake Tahoe ski community [10].

Feb 20, 2026 – Helicopters drop water to stabilize the slide zone, and state agencies retrieve four bodies by helicopter and five by ground, bringing the total recovered to eight while the search for the ninth continues [8].

Feb 21, 2026 – Sheriff Shannan Moon announces that the final missing skier is located, completing the recovery of all nine victims and marking the end of the active search phase [1][8].

Feb 22, 2026 – The ninth skier’s body is confirmed dead after a five‑day search, concluding the recovery effort and prompting officials to maintain the area closure while the criminal investigation proceeds [1].

Mar 15, 2026 (planned) – The U.S. Forest Service maintains the Castle Peak closure through this date, preventing public access while investigators finish their review and the terrain stabilizes [6].

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