Forest Service Reopens Castle Peak
The Forest Service has lifted the Castle Peak avalanche closure in California after a temporary shutdown due to avalanche danger. The area is again accessible to winter mountain adventurers, though recent tragedies and rescues in the Sierra Nevada region highlight ongoing risks. The reopening comes as the region continues to see high avalanche activity this winter season.
- The closure was enacted following a massive avalanche on February 17, 2026, in the Castle Peak area that resulted in the deaths of nine people, making it one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The victims included six clients and three guides from the Truckee-based company Blackbird Mountain Guides. - All nine victims, whose identities have been publicly released, were recovered by February 21, which allowed the Forest Service to reopen the area. The recovery efforts were hampered by hazardous weather and ongoing avalanche danger, which necessitated a temporary public safety closure from February 20 to March 15, though it was lifted early. - The guided group consisted of 15 backcountry travelers in total; twelve were caught in the avalanche, while three were not. Six skiers survived the incident and were rescued after taking refuge in a makeshift shelter and communicating with rescuers via radio beacon and text messaging. - The fatal avalanche occurred during a period of "high" danger warnings from the Sierra Avalanche Center following intense winter storms that dropped several feet of fresh snow on the region. - The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has opened an investigation into Blackbird Mountain Guides following the incident. - Prior to the 2026 winter season, the Sierra Nevada snowpack was at 110 percent of its average on April 1, 2024, a year described as "surprisingly average" after a decade of extremes.
