A deadly avalanche recently hit the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is being called the deadliest avalanche in the United States in 45 years. The slide happened in the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. A group of 15 backcountry skiers was caught in it. Eight people have died. One person is still missing and is believed dead. Six people survived.
The rescue
The group was near the end of a three-day guided ski trip. They were close to Donner Summit when the snow broke loose at around 11:30 a.m. The avalanche was huge—about the length of a football field. It buried the skiers very quickly.
The survivors acted fast. They used emergency beacons and sent text messages to ask for help. While waiting, they used a tarp to make a temporary shelter. This helped them stay alive in the freezing weather.
Rescue teams worked in very dangerous conditions. There were blizzards, strong winds, and almost no visibility. There was also a high risk of another avalanche. Rescuers used snowcats to get close, then skied the final distance to reach the group. One survivor was taken to the hospital. The others were not seriously hurt.
What caused the avalanche?
Experts say the disaster happened because of a risky weather pattern that built up over time.
In January, the region had a “snow drought.” The dry, clear weather weakened the snowpack. The snow turned into loose, sugary grains called “facets,” which do not hold weight well.
Then a strong winter storm arrived and dropped heavy snow very quickly. Soda Springs nearby got about 30 inches in 24 hours. The weak lower layer could not support the new load. Wind also made the snow even more unstable. The slope cracked and released a massive amount of snow.
Who was involved?
The trip was run by Blackbird Mountain Guides. The group included 11 clients and four professional guides. Three of the dead were guides. Officials have not released the victims’ names yet to respect the families.
Most bodies were found close together. Survivors found three people at first. Bad weather and high avalanche danger have slowed recovery work. One skier is still not found. The sheriff’s office has now moved from rescue to recovery.
A serious warning
This tragedy is the deadliest U.S. avalanche since a 1981 incident on Mount Rainier in Washington. It shows how dangerous backcountry travel can be.
The Sierra Avalanche Centre had already issued a high avalanche warning before the slide. The danger is still great because fresh snow keeps falling on the same weak base. Officials are asking people to stay away from avalanche-prone slopes until conditions improve.
#SierraNevadaAvalanche #LakeTahoeAvalanche #DeadlyCaliforniaAvalanche #DonnerSummit #SodaSprings #NorthernCaliforniaMountains #SnowDrought #AvalancheFacets #HighAvalancheDanger
A deadly avalanche recently hit the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is being called the deadliest avalanche in the United States in 45 years. The slide happened in the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. A group of 15 backcountry skiers was caught in it. Eight people have died. One person is still missing and is believed dead. Six people survived.
The rescue
The group was near the end of a three-day guided ski trip. They were close to Donner Summit when the snow broke loose at around 11:30 a.m. The avalanche was huge—about the length of a football field. It buried the skiers very quickly.
The survivors acted fast. They used emergency beacons and sent text messages to ask for help. While waiting, they used a tarp to make a temporary shelter. This helped them stay alive in the freezing weather.
Rescue teams worked in very dangerous conditions. There were blizzards, strong winds, and almost no visibility. There was also a high risk of another avalanche. Rescuers used snowcats to get close, then skied the final distance to reach the group. One survivor was taken to the hospital. The others were not seriously hurt.
What caused the avalanche?
Experts say the disaster happened because of a risky weather pattern that built up over time.
In January, the region had a “snow drought.” The dry, clear weather weakened the snowpack. The snow turned into loose, sugary grains called “facets,” which do not hold weight well.
Then a strong winter storm arrived and dropped heavy snow very quickly. Soda Springs nearby got about 30 inches in 24 hours. The weak lower layer could not support the new load. Wind also made the snow even more unstable. The slope cracked and released a massive amount of snow.
Who was involved?
The trip was run by Blackbird Mountain Guides. The group included 11 clients and four professional guides. Three of the dead were guides. Officials have not released the victims’ names yet to respect the families.
Most bodies were found close together. Survivors found three people at first. Bad weather and high avalanche danger have slowed recovery work. One skier is still not found. The sheriff’s office has now moved from rescue to recovery.
A serious warning
This tragedy is the deadliest U.S. avalanche since a 1981 incident on Mount Rainier in Washington. It shows how dangerous backcountry travel can be.
The Sierra Avalanche Centre had already issued a high avalanche warning before the slide. The danger is still great because fresh snow keeps falling on the same weak base. Officials are asking people to stay away from avalanche-prone slopes until conditions improve.
#SierraNevadaAvalanche #LakeTahoeAvalanche #DeadlyCaliforniaAvalanche #DonnerSummit #SodaSprings #NorthernCaliforniaMountains #SnowDrought #AvalancheFacets #HighAvalancheDanger
