Avalanche
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office reports that rescue operations continue for a group of 16 backcountry skiers caught in an avalanche on Castle Peak, California, at approximately 11:30 a.m. today.
Six skiers survived the slide and remain at the site, sheltering in place while awaiting extraction; ten others, including members of the guided party of four ski guides and 12 clients, are unaccounted for.
The group was on the final day of a three-day backcountry skiing trip, according to Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. Reynaud said his office has been in contact with individuals on the ground in the area. He said the skiers had spent two nights in huts on an itinerary that required navigating rugged mountainous terrain on backcountry skis for up to four miles and carrying all necessary food and supplies.
Specialized ski rescue teams departed from Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center, supported by a SnoCat crew from Alder Creek.
The mountain guiding company is also participating in the search and rescue efforts. Blackbird Mountain Guides released the following statement on its website:
Blackbird Mountain Guides is currently responding to a serious backcountry incident involving an avalanche that occurred this morning, February 17, near the Frog Lake huts in the Castle Peak area.
A total of 12 clients and four guides had been staying at the Frog Lake huts since February 15. The group was in the process of returning to the trailhead at the conclusion of a three-day trip when the incident occurred.
The leadership team at Blackbird Mountain Guides is working in full coordination with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and Nevada County Search and Rescue to support the ongoing rescue operation.
Blackbird Mountain Guides is in direct contact with the emergency contacts of the affected clients and guides and is providing them with regular updates as verified information becomes available.
46 emergency responders participate in the effort, including Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County Search and Rescue, and Truckee Fire.
The Sierra Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning, with a high danger rating, at 5 a.m. today, effective through 5 a.m. February 18.
“Travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended today. A widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours. Large avalanches may run through treed areas. If attempting travel today in non-avalanche terrain, be certain that there are no steeper slopes connected to the terrain you are traveling, either above or to the side.”
– Sierra Avalanche Center
This incident remains active, with weather conditions complicating access. SnowBrains will update this article as more information becomes available.
Castle Peak is in California’s Sierra Nevada near I-80, Donner Pass, and the Nevada border. It is in the Tahoe National Forest, not far off the Pacific Crest Trail, and adjacent to Castle Pass.
There have been six avalanche-related fatalities in the US this winter, including a snowmobiler on Castle Peak on January 5, 2026.
