Eight of the nine skiers missing in California after an avalanche have been found dead and one remains missing in horrific blizzard conditions.
Rescuers have been desperately searching for the group, which was caught in the avalanche in the early hours of Tuesday on Castle Peak in the Tahoe area.
“We are still looking for one of the members at this time,” Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, warning that the storm is hampering any movement.
“Extreme weather conditions I would say is an understatement: lots of snow, gale-force winds, winds making it impossible to see,” Moon added.
Sugar Bowl Academy said multiple victims were linked to the private, ski-focused school, without identifying the people.
The school’s executive director, Stephen McMahon, said in a statement: “We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected each and every one of us.
“The best thing we can do is surround our athletes and families with care and support while providing the necessary space and time for grief and healing.”
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Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company leading the doomed backcountry trip, said the 11 clients and four guides had been staying at the Frog Lake huts since Sunday and were “in the process of returning” back to base.
Over 40 first responders launched the search, according to officials, including “highly skilled rescue ski teams” from both Boreal Mountain Ski Resort and Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center.
But after quickly finding the six known survivors, the teams came up empty handed.
Experts had warned of severe avalanche risk, AFP reported, adding that California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the operation.
The National Weather Service said parts of the Sierra Nevadas above 3,500 feet could see up to eight feet of snow, with wind gusts as strong as 55 miles (90 kilometers) an hour.
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