On Tuesday, February 17, an avalanche struck a backcountry ski group within the Fortress Peak space of the Sierra Nevada, situated roughly 10 miles away from Lake Tahoe close to Truckee, California. The heavy slide occurred round 11:30 a.m. native time amid a serious winter storm that induced heavy snow, excessive winds and whiteout circumstances throughout the area. The Sierra Avalanche Middle had issued a “excessive avalanche hazard” warning hours earlier, cautioning that giant slides had been seemingly in backcountry terrain.
The group consisted of 15 backcountry skiers, together with 4 guides and 11 purchasers, on a three-day guided journey organized by the ski touring firm Blackbird Mountain Guides. The group was coming back from the Frog Lake backcountry huts when the avalanche swept them up.
The ski touring firm introduced in a information alert through its web site that the “management crew at Blackbird Mountain Guides stays absolutely engaged in aiding the Search and Rescue efforts on the bottom as we navigate this extremely troublesome state of affairs alongside these concerned.”
Get updates on every little thing we all know to this point in regards to the lacking skiers and the avalanche that struck the world close to Lake Tahoe, California.
Had been the Lacking Blackbird Mountain Guides Skiers Discovered?
Sadly, eight skiers had been discovered useless on Wednesday, February 18. One individual continues to be lacking, in accordance with The New York Occasions. The ninth lacking individual is presumed useless, authorities acknowledged. A number of survivors from the avalanche had been rescued.
Eight skiers had been discovered useless after being trapped by an avalanche whereas on a backcountry ski journey close to Lake Tahoe, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon stated https://t.co/tTxD28DIkh pic.twitter.com/tttiRDwaVy
— Bloomberg (@enterprise) February 18, 2026
Did Anybody Survive the Avalanche Close to Lake Tahoe?
Sure. Thankfully, six folks had been discovered and rescued. Because of the hazardous climate, the six survivors needed to shelter in place below tarps and stayed in touch by means of emergency beacons and textual content messages whereas rescue groups labored to get to them.
Later, on February 18, rescue crews lastly reached the survivors and had been capable of evacuate them.
Has California Ever Had an Avalanche?
Sure, however the 2026 avalanche is taken into account the deadliest one in California historical past. The final one to hit the state was in 1982 in Alpine Meadows. Seven folks died close to a ski resort on the time, which Sheriff Wayne Woo of Placer County referred to throughout a press convention, in accordance with The New York Occasions.
“To see this tragic incident unfold and probably have that many losses of life, it’s horrible to see,” the sheriff stated in regards to the latest tragedy.