Lake Tahoe Avalanche Kills Eight Skiers
An avalanche near Lake Tahoe claimed eight lives during a backcountry skiing expedition on February 20. The experienced group was overwhelmed by the scale and speed of the slide, serving as a stark reminder of winter mountain risks despite preparation and avalanche awareness.
The slide occurred near Castle Peak in the Tahoe National Forest, catching 12 of the 15 members of a guided tour from Blackbird Mountain Guides. The group was returning from the remote Frog Lake huts amidst deteriorating weather conditions, including gusty winds and nearly four feet of fresh snow. The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued warnings of "considerable" and rising avalanche danger in the days leading up to the incident. Forecasters had cautioned that large, human-triggered avalanches were likely. The avalanche occurred on a north-facing slope of about 38 degrees, a prime angle for slides, while the group was ascending through a clearing below. The victims, which included six clients and three guides, were found buried in a compact debris field, with depths ranging from five to eight feet. The six female clients have been identified as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, and Kate Vitt, described as close friends and experienced backcountry skiers. The three guides who perished were identified as Michael Henry, 30; Andrew Alissandratos, 34; and Niki Choo, 42. This event is now considered the deadliest avalanche in modern California history, surpassing the 1982 Alpine Meadows avalanche that killed seven people. The tragedy has prompted an investigation by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into the circumstances leading to the guided group being in such hazardous conditions.
