Rescue crews are battling life-threatening blizzard conditions and extreme avalanche danger in the Castle Peak area northwest of Lake Tahoe, following a massive slide that struck a guided backcountry group on Tuesday morning. Of the 15 individuals involved (revised from 16), six survivors have been successfully reached and evacuated, while nine skiers remain unaccounted for as the search transitions into its second day.
Skiers trapped by avalanche up Lake Tahoe mountain build makeshift shelter using tarp, 10 still missing https://t.co/xIOseucLvl pic.twitter.com/eSlAA66a39
— New York Post (@nypost) February 18, 2026
The Incident: High-Risk Backcountry Expedition
The group, consisting of four professional guides and 11 clients with Blackbird Mountain Guides, was on the final day of a three-day hut-to-hut trip. The avalanche was reported at approximately 11:30 AM PST on Tuesday near Frog Lake, a rugged area known for its steep terrain.
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Survival at the Site: The six confirmed survivors utilized emergency beacons to text their coordinates to dispatchers. They huddled under a makeshift tarp shelter for hours as winds gusted up to 80 mph, before “highly-skilled rescue ski teams” and a SnoCat reached them late Tuesday night.
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The “High” Danger Rating: The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a Level 4 (High) warning prior to the trip. Experts noted that 30 to 40 inches of new snow falling on a fragile, weak layer from a January dry spell created a “perfect storm” for deep-slab avalanches.
Rescue Mobilization: An “All-Hands” Effort
California Governor Gavin Newsom has activated state-level resources to support the 46 emergency first responders currently on the mountain.
| Agency | Resource Deployed |
| Nevada County Sheriff | Lead Incident Command & Search & Rescue (SAR) |
| Boreal Mountain Resort | Specialized Ski Rescue Teams |
| Placer & Washoe County | Mutual Aid SAR Teams & Snowcats |
| Caltrans | Clearing I-80 & Highway 50 for equipment access |
The Looming Threat: A “Widespread Cycle”
Conditions remain incredibly precarious for rescuers. Captain Russell Greene of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office described the mission as a “slow, tedious process” because the avalanche path is “reloading with new snow very rapidly.”
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Whiteout Conditions: Visibility at Donner Summit dropped to one-eighth of a mile on Tuesday night.
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Forecast: An additional burst of heavy snow is expected through Thursday, with total accumulations potentially reaching 8 feet in higher elevations.
“Travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain is not recommended today. A widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected over the next 24 hours.” — Sierra Avalanche Center
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