Nine back-country skiers were killed on February 17 after a massive avalanche struck near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada mountains, burying a group of 15 skiers returning from a three-day guided trip near Lake Tahoe, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office ( February 18, 2026 Evan Bush and David K.Li).

According to BBC News, the avalanche occurred around 11.30 a.m. amid a powerful winter storm that had dropped several foot of snow, creating unstable layers and significantly increasing the risk of slides. Six skiers survived,  some dug themselves out while others were rescued, through two required treatment for non-life  threatening injures (Brandon Drenon, February 19th 2026).

Rescue crews faced deep snow, poor visibility and ongoing avalanche danger as they searched for victims over several days, according to the New York Times. Helicopters were primarily used to assist in recovering the nine victims, which included three professional guides form Blackbird Mountain Guides. The other six were experienced skiers from California, Idaho, and Nevada (Cowan, Karlamangla, February 18th, 2o26).

Officials say the tragedy is a stark reminder that even experienced back-country skiers can be caught off guard by rapidly changing snow conditions, and they are urging anyone planning to venture into remote mountain areas to check avalanche warnings, travel with safety equipment, and consider postponing trips when storms increase the risk of deadly slides.

The combination of a powerful winter storm, rapidly accumulating snow, and the group’s decisnio to continue their backcountry trip under “considerable” avalanche risk ultimately led to this deadly outcome, highlighting how quickly mountain conditions can turn even for someone who’s very experienced at skiing for little to major years.