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Eight backcountry skiers person been recovered dormant and 1 remains missing aft an avalanche adjacent Lake Tahoe successful California, officials said connected Wednesday (February 18, 2026), making it the deadliest avalanche successful the U.S. successful much than 4 decades.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said during a quality league that authorities person told the families the ngo has moved from rescue to recovery. It is the deadliest avalanche successful the U.S. since 1981, erstwhile 11 climbers were killed connected Mount Rainier, Washington.
Crews person faced treacherous conditions successful their hunt for the missing skiers since the avalanche struck connected Tuesday greeting (February 17, 2026). Search and rescue crews were dispatched to the Castle Peak country of the Sierra Nevada aft a 911 telephone reporting the avalanche had buried 15 skiers.
Snow covers a roadworthy connected an underpass on interstate 80 adjacent Soda Springs, California, connected February 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP
Six of them person been recovered alive.
The radical was connected a three-day trek successful Northern California’s Sierra Nevada arsenic a monster wintertime tempest pummelled the West Coast.
Two of those rescued aft respective hours of searching were taken to a infirmary for treatment, said Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Heavy snowfall and the menace of further avalanches slowed the rescue effort successful the mountains adjacent Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe.
The country adjacent Donner Summit is 1 of the snowiest places successful the Western Hemisphere and until conscionable a fewer years agone was closed to the public. It sees an mean of astir 35 feet of snowfall a year, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which owns a clump of huts wherever the radical was staying adjacent Frog Lake.
The Sierra Avalanche Center warned connected Wednesday (February 18, 2026) that the hazard of avalanche remains precocious and advised against question successful the area. Multiple feet of snowfall and gale-force winds successful caller days near the snowpack unstable and unpredictable, and much snowfall was predicted to fall, the centre said.
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were notified astir the avalanche by Blackbird Mountain Guides, which was starring the expedition, and the skiers' exigency beacons. The sheriff's bureau said connected Tuesday nighttime (February 17, 2026) that 15 backcountry skiers had been connected the trip, not 16 arsenic initially believed.
The skiers were connected the past time of a backcountry skiing travel and had spent 2 nights successful the huts, said Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. He said the country requires navigating rugged mountainous terrain. All nutrient and supplies request to beryllium carried to the huts.
Reaching the huts successful wintertime takes respective hours and requires backcountry skills, avalanche grooming and information equipment, the onshore spot says connected its website.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said successful a connection that the group, including 4 guides, was returning to the trailhead erstwhile the avalanche occurred.
“Our thoughts are with the missing individuals, their families, and archetypal responders successful the field,” Blackbird said successful a connection connected Wednesday (February 18, 2026). The institution said it is helping authorities successful the search.
Several Tahoe skis resorts had been afloat oregon partially closed owed to the weather. Resorts, which usage controlled explosions and barriers to negociate avalanche threats, were not expected to beryllium astatine arsenic precocious of a hazard arsenic the backcountry, the centre said.
The country adjacent Donner Summit was closed for astir a period earlier the onshore spot and its partners successful 2020 acquired Frog Lake, which is framed by 1,000-foot-high cliffs. Donner Summit is named for the infamous Donner Party, a radical of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism aft getting trapped determination successful the wintertime of 1846-1847.
In January, an avalanche successful the portion buried a snowmobiler and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 radical dice successful avalanches successful the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.
