Dec 9, 2025 – Stowe Mountain Rescue reports a surge in backcountry calls after two 19‑year‑old New Yorkers get lost following a TikTok video, and the chief says the trend is “statewide and global, not limited to Stowe,” prompting plans for social‑media safety posts. [11]

Dec 27, 2025 – Four hikers are found dead after an avalanche near Korakas peak in Greece’s Vardousia Mountains; officials describe the search as “extremely challenging” because of extreme cold, low visibility and rugged terrain. [3]

Dec 29, 2025 – Mammoth Mountain ski patroller Cole Murphy dies when an avalanche triggered during pre‑opening mitigation on Lincoln Mountain buries him, and his family states the mountain “was where Cole felt most alive.” [8]

Jan 10, 2026 – A backcountry avalanche near Longs Pass, southwest of Leavenworth, carries four skiers, killing two men and prompting rescue teams to pull two survivors from the slide. [14]

Jan 11, 2026 – Authorities confirm the Longs Pass incident left two fatalities and two survivors, expressing sympathy for families and noting the area’s popularity with backcountry users. [14]

Jan 12‑13, 2026 – Two victims of the Longs Pass avalanche are identified as Paul Markoff, 38, and Erik Henne, 43; two other skiers survive after signaling for help with a Garmin satellite device, while the Northwest Avalanche Center notes “12 backcountry deaths since 2020.” [13]

Jan 17, 2026 – In Austria’s Salzburg Pongau region, two avalanches kill five skiers: a female skier dies in Bad Hofgastein at 2,200 m, and a later Gastein Valley slide sweeps seven people, leaving four dead, two injured and one unhurt; rescue chiefs deploy four helicopters, dogs and a crisis team. [5]

Jan 17‑18, 2026 – A deadly week in the Alps sees three avalanches across Austria kill eight skiers, including a Bad Hofgastein fatality at 12:30 p.m., a Finsterkopf slide that kills four and injures two, and a Pusterwald avalanche that buries three Czech tourists; officials stress “ongoing danger” and warn further snowfall could raise risk. [7][10]

Jan 18, 2026 – Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, says the tragedy “demonstrates how serious the avalanche situation is,” as eight people die in Austrian avalanches in Pongau and Pusterwald. [2]

Jan 31, 2026 – Seven skiers stranded near Aspen’s Goodwin‑Greene Huts endure white‑out, 60 mph winds and sub‑zero temperatures; Jon Hodge lights a fire and later reports a hypothermic patient’s condition improving after helicopter evacuation, while the team plans another attempt before sunrise. [12]

Feb 17, 2026 – An avalanche strikes Castle Peak near Truckee at 11:30 a.m., burying a party of 15 backcountry skiers; six survive, ten remain missing, and the Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a high‑danger warning at 5 a.m. covering the Central Sierra Nevada through Wednesday. [6][4]

Feb 18, 2026 – Nevada County Sheriff’s Office confirms six rescued skiers, two taken to hospital, and nine still missing after the Castle Peak slide; Ashley Quadros says the rescue involves 46 responders, ski teams and a SnoCat, while a storm dumps at least 30 inches of snow and forces I‑80 closures. [9][4]

Feb 18, 2026 – Governor Gavin Newsom’s office launches an all‑hands search‑and‑rescue operation for the Castle Peak avalanche, coordinating state authorities with local emergency teams. [1]

Feb 18, 2026 – The National Avalanche Center estimates 25‑30 U.S. avalanche deaths each winter, underscoring the broader risk context for the recent California and Austrian incidents. [8]

Future (Feb 2026 onward) – The Sierra Avalanche Center continues to forecast large avalanches through Wednesday, urging travelers to avoid avalanche terrain, while Vermont rescue officials intend to release educational social‑media posts to curb risky backcountry trips. [4][11]