California Avalanche Kills Mothers
A backcountry skiing avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada killed several mothers on a ski trip, with only 2 surviving. The tragedy underscores the importance of avalanche preparedness, up-to-date weather checks, and group safety protocols when engaging in winter backcountry adventures.
- The avalanche occurred around 11:30 a.m. on February 17, 2026, near Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot mountain north of Donner Summit in the Lake Tahoe area. The group of 15 skiers was on the final day of a three-day backcountry excursion over Presidents Day weekend, staying at the Frog Lake huts. - This incident is the deadliest avalanche in California's recorded history, with eight confirmed fatalities and one person missing and presumed dead. The previous deadliest event was the 1982 Alpine Meadows avalanche, which killed seven people. - The victims were primarily a close-knit group of mothers and experienced skiers from the San Francisco Bay Area, Idaho, and the Truckee-Tahoe region. Six of the deceased have been identified as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, and Kate Vitt. Two of the women, Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh, were sisters. - In addition to the mothers, three guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides—Andrew Alissandratos, 34, Nicole Choo, 42, and Michael Henry, 30—were also killed in the avalanche. - The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch on Sunday, February 15th, and upgraded it to a warning on the morning of the incident, advising against travel in the backcountry due to "widespread areas of unstable snow." The area was under a high avalanche threat, rated 4 out of 5. - A powerful storm had brought significant snowfall to the Sierra Nevada, creating the dangerous conditions. The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab near Donner Pass recorded 28 inches of new snow on the day of the avalanche. - Rescue efforts were hampered by the severe weather, including blizzard conditions, which made it difficult for the 50 rescuers to reach the scene. The six survivors were located about 11 hours after the avalanche was reported. - The search and recovery operation involved multiple agencies, including the Nevada County Sheriff's search and rescue, the California Highway Patrol, and the National Guard, utilizing a Black Hawk helicopter and Sno-Cats to access the remote location.
