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Avalanche Death Toll Reaches 99 in Europe as California Search Ends

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  • 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.
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    Snow on a skiing hill in the Lake Tahoe region in Truckee, California, on February 12, 2026. Source Full size
  • Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains.
    Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains.
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    Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. (Reuters) Source Full size
  • 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)
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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) (Credit: AP) 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.
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    Snow and trees along Lake Tahoe on December 31, 2025, in Glenbook, Nevada. 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.
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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
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  • Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains.
    Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains.
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    Rescue teams have been deployed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. (Reuters) 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
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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

European Fatalities Surge Amid Unusual Snowpack The European Avalanche Warning Services reported 99 deaths across the Alps since October 2025, with 28 fatalities in the French Alps alone since Dec 26, far above the seasonal average of eight [1]. Meteorologists linked the surge to a southerly jet stream that deposited meters of fresh snow onto an unstable “angular grain” snowpack, prompting level 4‑5 warnings in the hardest‑hit zones [1]. Experts such as Christine Pielmeier note that similar high‑danger periods recur every 5‑15 years, but tourist back‑country skiers ignoring forecasts contributed significantly to the death toll [1].

Lake Tahoe Avalanche Claims Nine Lives After Final Recovery massive D2.5 avalanche struck near Castle Peak on Feb 17, burying a 15‑person guided group; eight bodies were recovered initially and a ninth skier was found on Feb 22, confirming nine fatalities [2][5][7]. The party, organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides, included six women friends and three guides; six members survived after using beacons and satellite SOS alerts [5][7]. Authorities opened a criminal‑negligence investigation and Cal/OSHA began a six‑month probe of the guide company, while the U.S. Forest Service closed the Castle Peak area through March 15 [7][8].

Storm‑Driven Snowpack Instability Triggered Both Disasters In both Europe and California, rapid snow accumulation—up to three‑six feet in the Sierra Nevada and meters in the Alps—created a weak layer that slid under wind‑loaded new snow [1][18]. Avalanche forecasts issued hours before the Lake Tahoe slide (watch at 6:49 a.m., warning at 5 a.m.) were ignored by the group, mirroring European tourists’ disregard for level 4 alerts [1][5]. Rescue operations in both regions were hampered by white‑out conditions, gale‑force winds, and ongoing storms, delaying body recovery and endangering responders [2][11][12].

Investigations Focus on Decision‑Making and Guide Responsibility Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon leads the probe into why the Lake Tahoe party proceeded despite high‑danger warnings, while California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health examines Blackbird Mountain Guides’ compliance with avalanche safety protocols [7][18]. European authorities similarly stress the need for stricter adherence to warnings, citing tourist pressure and limited time as factors driving risky off‑piste behavior [1]. Both regions emphasize improved public education and enforcement to prevent future high‑fatality slides.

Recovery Efforts Continue Amid Ongoing Hazard Alerts The European Met Office maintains level 4 alerts for two weeks, with brief level 5 periods in the most affected zones, while the Sierra Avalanche Center’s high‑danger warning remains in effect through Thursday [1][14]. Bodies in California are being held by the coroner’s office pending forensic analysis, and several remain on the slope due to unsafe conditions [3][7]. Search teams in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon also report over 50 avalanches this week, underscoring a broader pattern of extreme winter weather across North America and Europe [4].

Sources

Timeline

1898 – Roughly 65 miners and prospectors die in Chilkoot Trail slides during the Klondike Gold Rush, illustrating the historic lethality of avalanche disasters in the western U.S. [16]

1981 – Eleven climbers perish in a Mount Rainier avalanche, remaining the deadliest U.S. avalanche until the 2026 Lake Tahoe slide and providing a benchmark for casualty comparisons [16]

Jan 17, 2026 – Five skiers die in two avalanches in Austria’s Salzburg Pongau region, with four killed in the Gastein Valley and one in Bad Hofgastein, underscoring the ongoing European avalanche risk despite repeated warnings [22]

Jan 18, 2026 – Three separate avalanches across Austria kill eight skiers, including two sisters in Bad Hofgastein and four in the Finsterkopf area, prompting rescue chiefs to warn of continued danger after heavy snowfall [19][20][21]

Feb 17, 2026 (06:49 a.m.) – The Sierra Avalanche Center issues a high‑avalanche‑danger watch for the Lake Tahoe region, later upgrading it to a warning and signaling large avalanches could occur within 24‑48 hours [13][15][14]

Feb 17, 2026 (11:30 a.m.) – A D2.5 “football‑field‑sized” avalanche strikes a 15‑person guided backcountry group near Castle Peak, killing eight skiers (including three Blackbird Mountain guides) and burying a ninth, while six survivors escape after a six‑hour ordeal; Sheriff Capt. Russell “Rusty” Greene says, “Someone saw the avalanche, yelled ‘Avalanche!’ and it overtook them rather quickly.” [17][27][15][11]

Feb 17, 2026 – A fatal avalanche in the same Castle Peak area the previous month is referenced, highlighting a pattern of instability in the local snowpack [18]

Feb 18, 2026 – Search teams recover eight bodies and continue searching for the ninth; the U.S. Forest Service closes the Castle Peak zone through March 15, and Blackbird Mountain Guides suspend field operations pending an internal review [9][10][13][14]

Feb 19, 2026 – Authorities confirm eight deaths, one missing, and a high‑danger avalanche warning remains in effect through Thursday; Governor Gavin Newsom calls the incident a “horrible tragedy” on social media [15][12][26][1]

Feb 20, 2026 – Families identify six mothers among the deceased, including sisters Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh, and share personal tributes, while the Sierra Avalanche Center maintains a high‑danger alert [9][8]

Feb 21, 2026 – An avalanche in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon prompts a rescue and highlights that the Lake Tahoe disaster occurred just days earlier, reinforcing regional avalanche concerns [7]

Feb 22, 2026 – Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon announces the recovery of the ninth skier, completing the identification of all nine victims and opening an investigation into possible criminal negligence; “While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home,” Moon says [1][6]

Feb 22, 2026 (ongoing) – The Sierra Avalanche Center’s high‑avalanche‑danger alert for Greater Lake Tahoe remains active until at least Thursday, urging the public to avoid backcountry travel [12]

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