Deadly California Avalanche Kills Guides
The deadliest U.S. avalanche in nearly 45 years struck the Castle Peak area near Truckee, California on February 17, killing several skiers including three professional guides. The Nevada County Sheriff's Office and local volunteers are conducting cautious rescue efforts, emphasizing that rescuers must not become victims themselves. California workplace safety officials have opened an investigation into the incident.
- The incident involved a group of 15 people on a three-day guided backcountry ski trip with Blackbird Mountain Guides; the party consisted of 11 clients and four guides returning from the Frog Lake huts. - Eight individuals are confirmed deceased, and one other is presumed dead; six people, including one of the guides, survived the avalanche. - The six deceased clients were all women, described by their families as a close-knit group of experienced backcountry skiers who were also "mothers, wives and friends." - An avalanche warning was in effect on the morning of the incident, and the Nevada County Sheriff's Office is now investigating the guiding company's decision to proceed with the trip. - The event stands as the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981, when 11 climbers died on Mount Rainier, and is the most fatal in California's modern history. - In what legal experts call a rare move for a guided trip avalanche, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office is investigating for potential criminal negligence. - The guides leading the trip were all trained or certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and were also instructors for the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). - In response to the incident and to ensure the safety of recovery crews, the Tahoe National Forest has temporarily closed public access to the lands and trails around Castle Peak.
