Officials say warnings were high as crews search for nine missing near Castle Peak.
NEVADA CITY, Calif. — A guided backcountry ski trip in the mountains near Lake Tahoe drew renewed scrutiny Tuesday after an avalanche struck the Castle Peak area during a major storm, leaving nine skiers missing and forcing rescuers to pull six others out alive from steep terrain under high avalanche danger.
The incident unfolded as forecasters warned that heavy snowfall and wind were building unstable slabs on a fragile snowpack, conditions that can produce large avalanches with little warning. Authorities said the skiers were part of a commercial tour led by Blackbird Mountain Guides, and the sheriff’s office said rescue decisions were shaped not only by the urgency of the search but by the continuing risk of more slides in the same drainage.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said it was alerted to the avalanche at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and began assembling teams capable of operating in deep snow and limited visibility. Officials initially believed 16 people were involved, then later revised the count to 15. The group consisted of four guides and 11 clients on the final day of a multi-day backcountry trek, authorities said. The route passed through rugged, high-elevation terrain near the Donner Pass corridor, where storms can intensify quickly and winds can rapidly load slopes.
Six members of the group were located alive after the slide and later rescued after hours of difficult travel by mountain teams, officials said. Two of those rescued were hospitalized for treatment, while others were checked for injuries and cold exposure. Crews used snowcats, snowmobiles and skis to reach the area and move people out. Officials said survivors communicated their situation and stayed together as rescuers worked through the storm, a factor that helped stabilize the response even as conditions deteriorated.
Capt. Russell Greene of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said the rescue effort had to proceed carefully because the slope remained hazardous. Greene said the report came from the outfitter and from emergency signals emitted by the group’s safety equipment. Search leaders said they relied on beacon technology, field assessments and weather information to decide when it was safe to advance. The sheriff’s office said the missing skiers were believed to be in or near the avalanche path, where debris can bury people under dense snow and complicate detection.
As the search continued, authorities publicly criticized the decision to operate a ski tour in such dangerous conditions. Officials pointed to avalanche forecasts describing elevated danger and the potential for large slides as snowfall rates increased. Avalanche centers in the Sierra regularly warn that rapid loading from new snow and wind can create unstable slabs, especially when weaker layers sit beneath recent storms. On Tuesday, officials said, those warnings matched the reality on the ground, with strong wind and heavy snow limiting visibility and raising the risk to rescuers.
Blackbird Mountain Guides said it was coordinating with authorities as the response continued. The company did not release details about the route, the exact location of the slide, or the decision-making process for entering the area that day. Officials said they were focused on rescue and recovery operations and would not speculate about causes while people remained missing. They said any review of what happened would come later, after the scene was stabilized and all involved were accounted for.
The Castle Peak backcountry has long attracted skiers because it offers big terrain close to highways and towns, a combination that can draw visitors even during storms. Experienced rescuers say that closeness can increase risk when people underestimate how quickly conditions can turn severe. The area’s winter history is marked by extreme weather, and blizzard conditions can push temperatures down and erase tracks within minutes, complicating both self-rescue and organized searches.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the state was monitoring the situation and coordinating with local authorities, while Nevada County led the response. Officials said the search would continue as conditions allowed, with teams watching for breaks in weather that could permit safer movement and improved visibility. They said plans could include expanded probing operations, additional avalanche specialists and carefully staged advances into the debris field.
By early Wednesday, officials said the six rescued skiers were out of the backcountry and the search for nine missing continued under persistent avalanche danger. Authorities said the next milestone would be updated weather and snow stability assessments that determine whether crews can re-enter the slide area later Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 18, 2026.