**Excerpt:** Authorities are investigating potential criminal negligence following a deadly avalanche that claimed the lives of at least eight skiers near Lake Tahoe.
Key Points
– At least eight skiers died in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe on February 17, 2026.
– The group was skiing during a storm that produced significant snowfall and high winds.
– Investigators are examining why the group proceeded with their trip despite avalanche warnings.
– One skier remains missing and is presumed dead; six others were rescued with varying injuries.
– This incident marks the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. since 1981.
Avalanche Incident Overview
Authorities are probing the circumstances surrounding a deadly avalanche that occurred near Lake Tahoe, California, on February 17, 2026. The avalanche resulted in the deaths of at least eight skiers, prompting an investigation into possible criminal negligence.
Details of the Avalanche
A group of 11 skiers along with four guides was near Castle Peak, approximately 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe, when a large slab of snow, equivalent to the size of a football field, detached from the mountain and engulfed them around 11:30 AM. The group was returning from a three-day backcountry ski trip during a storm that brought up to seven feet of snow and winds reaching 60 mph.
Investigative Focus
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon stated that authorities are trying to understand why the group continued their trip after an avalanche watch was issued two days prior to the incident. An avalanche warning was also in effect on the day of the accident, indicating “HIGH avalanche danger” and a risk of “large” avalanches in the area.
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is currently investigating Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company that organized the skiing expedition.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Captain Russel Greene of the sheriff’s office noted that the avalanche struck rapidly, complicating rescue efforts. One skier is still missing and is presumed dead, while six others were rescued, with two requiring hospitalization. Blackbird Mountain Guides confirmed that one of the survivors was a guide, and the remaining survivors were clients. All four guides were avalanche safety instructors.
Impact and Response
Nevada County Undersheriff Sam Brown described the frantic moments that followed the avalanche as skiers attempted to locate their friends. Rescue teams faced treacherous conditions, which delayed their operations. However, a break in the weather allowed for the recovery of eight bodies, with further searches ongoing for the ninth skier.
This avalanche is noted as the deadliest in the United States since 1981, with Blackbird founder Zeb Blais expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy.
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