8 backcountry skiers dead, one still missing after avalanche near Lake Tahoe, officials say

KCRA3 ^ | 02/18/2026 | Jonathan Ayestas and Daniel Macht

[BenLurkin]

Eight backcountry skiers died and one remains missing after an avalanche in the Lake Tahoe area, officials said on Wednesday. The rescue mission is now a recovery mission because the missing skier is presumed dead.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said a group of 15 skiers was in the Castle Peak area when the sheriff's office got a report of an avalanche around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. She said challenging weather conditions made it difficult for crews to reach the site of the avalanche.

Crews arrived at the scene just after 5:30 p.m. and used a snowcat to travel two miles before skiing the rest of the way to avoid another avalanche. There, they found six survivors, a Black Mountain Guides employee and five clients. The group had made a makeshift shelter.

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TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: avalanche; laketahoe; skiers

[TBall]

We’re they wearing helmets?

[Bulwyf]

You have poverty privilege? How long before before the left comes after that too? heh.

I used to do a lot of mountaineering etc when I was younger. There’s always a risk, but you do your best to mitigate and carry on. Infantry even sent me on an avalanche rescue course. I know how to test etc and all that jazz. It’s really not rocket science, but you’d think that someone would of done this in this case. If they did, they ignored conditions.

[montag813]

It happens every winter. Which is why throughout the Alps they have built structures to keep avalanches from dropping the snow into lower elevation areas.

Maybe the Alps are "tipping over" because of all the people assembled nearby for the Olympics.

We should immediately consult Prof. Hank Johnson!

[LurkingSince'98]

Safety First - that’s their motto!

It’s not what they practice - but its their motto...

[minnesota_bound]

Some people go up to Donner Pass for dinner....