Dec 27, 2025 – Four hikers are found dead after an avalanche sweeps them from a steep slope near Korakas peak in Greece’s Vardousia Mountains, with rescue teams battling extreme cold, low visibility and rugged terrain to recover the bodies[24].

Dec 29, 2025 – Cole Murphy, a 30‑year‑old ski patroller, dies from injuries sustained during an avalanche mitigation run on Lincoln Mountain at Mammoth Mountain, prompting the resort to close for the day and highlighting the national average of 25‑30 avalanche deaths each winter[23].

Dec 9, 2025 – Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Rescue reports a surge in backcountry calls after two 19‑year‑old skiers, influenced by a TikTok video, get lost, underscoring a growing trend of social‑media‑driven risk taking and prompting the team to plan safety‑education posts[25].

Jan 17, 2026 – Two avalanches in Austria’s Salzburg Pongau region kill five skiers, including a female skier in Bad Hofgastein and four others in the Gastein Valley, as authorities stress that repeated high‑risk warnings had been issued earlier that day[22].

Jan 18, 2026 – A series of three avalanches across Austria’s Bad Hofgastein, Finsterkopf and Pusterwald areas claim eight lives, including three Czech tourists, while rescue crews deploy helicopters, dogs and crisis‑intervention units amid ongoing snowfall warnings[20].

Jan 31, 2026 – Seven skiers are rescued after a sub‑zero storm forces them onto an exposed ridge near Aspen’s Goodwin‑Greene Huts; one skier suffers severe hypothermia and the group receives helicopter evacuation after a volunteer ignites a fire to keep a victim warm[28].

Feb 17 2026 06:49 a.m. – The Sierra Avalanche Center issues a high‑avalanche‑danger watch for the Lake Tahoe area, warning that large slides could occur within 24‑48 hours and advising travelers to avoid avalanche terrain[12].

Feb 17 2026 11:30 a.m. – A D2.5‑size avalanche strikes a 15‑person backcountry ski party near Castle Peak, burying eight skiers (seven women, one man) and leaving a ninth presumed dead as the slide stretches roughly a football field[13].

Feb 18 2026 – Search teams comprising 46 responders, ski‑rescue units and a SnoCat continue a “slow, tedious” operation for nine missing skiers while six survivors shelter under tarps; the Sierra Avalanche Center maintains a high‑danger warning through the following day[19].

Feb 18 2026 – Nevada County officials close the Castle Peak area to the public through March 15, citing unsafe terrain and ongoing storm conditions, and the U.S. Forest Service announces that several bodies will remain on the slope until conditions improve[8].

Feb 19 2026 – Governor Gavin Newsom labels the disaster a “horrible tragedy” on X, while the Sierra Avalanche Center warns that the high‑danger alert will persist through Friday as additional snowfall and 60 mph winds threaten further slides[16][10].

Feb 20 2026 – Nevada County Sheriff’s Office opens a criminal‑negligence investigation and Cal/OSHA launches a six‑month probe into Blackbird Mountain Guides, the certified guide company that led the tour; a family spokesperson says, “We are devastated beyond words”[8][1].

Feb 21 2026 – Two survivors are rescued after the deadliest U.S. avalanche in 45 years, bringing the confirmed death toll to nine; experts note survival drops from 93 % within 15 minutes to under 30 % after 45 minutes, underscoring the critical timing of beacon rescues[6].

Feb 21 2026 – Liz Clabaugh of Boise is identified among the eight victims, joining her sister Caroline Sekar and six other women; families thank Nevada County SAR, Tahoe Nordic SAR and others while requesting privacy[7].

Feb 21 2026 – Washington father Jasper Boas cites the California tragedy while snowboarding with his children, saying, “Avalanches happen, and even the most seasoned veterans… can get caught up in that,” as the Northwest Avalanche Center warns a forthcoming heavy‑snow system could raise cascade danger next week[26].

Future (late Feb 2026) – The Sierra Avalanche Center’s high‑danger warning remains in effect until at least Thursday, and the Forest Service’s closure of Castle Peak stays in place through March 15, while ongoing investigations by the sheriff’s office and Cal/OSHA are slated to continue for several months[12][8].