Lake Tahoe — A guided backcountry ski party was struck by a large avalanche Tuesday morning near Castle Peak, north of Donner Summit, leaving eight people dead and one missing and presumed dead, officials said Feb. 18, 2026.
Rescue crews recovered eight victims and reached six other members of the party, who were found alive; two of those survivors required hospital treatment. Teams on scene said continuing storms and an unstable snowpack forced them to change course from an active search-and-rescue operation to a recovery mission.
Who was on the trip
Local authorities and mountain rescue teams identified the group as adults roughly between 30 and 55 years old. Four professional guides were with the party; three of the guides were among those killed and one survived. The group had been on a multi-day trek, staying in remote huts near Frog Lake, before beginning their return to the trailhead when the avalanche struck.
Where it happened and why conditions were dangerous
The slide occurred in terrain commonly used by experienced winter parties. Reaching the huts in winter requires hours of travel and advanced mountaineering skills. A powerful storm system that moved through the region in the days before dumped meters of fresh snow, and high winds redistributed that load across slopes. The Sierra Avalanche Center warned the result was a highly unstable snowpack. Heavy snowfall and the threat of additional slides hampered access and complicated recovery efforts.
How the response unfolded
Officials were alerted after a 911 call and emergency-beacon signals. Local search-and-rescue teams mobilized from nearby communities and pushed into hazardous conditions to reach the site. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said authorities switched from rescue to recovery after notifying next of kin. Captain Russell Greene said the eight deceased were found clustered relatively close together, and that extreme weather and terrain prevented immediate removal from the mountain. Names of the victims were being withheld pending family notifications.
Operator and investigation
Authorities named Blackbird Mountain Guides as the trip organizer. The company said the group was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche swept through; it is cooperating with investigators and expressed condolences for those lost and for the first responders. Officials said investigators will review the trip’s planning, route and communications but have not released further operational details while the inquiry continues.
Safety context
Local land managers reminded the public that winter hut routes demand avalanche training, backcountry skills and appropriate safety gear. The National Avalanche Center notes that avalanche fatalities in the U.S. typically range from about 25 to 30 each winter. Officials called this incident the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981, when 11 climbers died on Mount Rainier.
Teams from multiple agencies and volunteer stewards remain on site, coordinating recovery, conducting evidence gathering and continuing next-of-kin notifications as weather allows. The community has been left reeling by a sudden loss in a place many visit for solitude and challenge.