Devastation has struck the Sierra Nevada once more as search teams made the grim discovery Thursday, February 19, 2026: the final missing skier from the catastrophic Castle Peak avalanche has been located—deceased. With this heartbreaking confirmation, all nine skiers swept away in Tuesday’s monstrous slide are now accounted for as fatalities, sealing the fate of what authorities are calling the deadliest avalanche in California’s recorded modern history and one of the worst in U.S. backcountry skiing in nearly half a century.

The nightmare began around 11:30 a.m. on February 17 when a massive wall of snow—roughly the size of a football field—cascaded down the rugged slopes of Castle Peak, northwest of Lake Tahoe near Truckee, California. The victims were part of a 15-person guided backcountry ski group on a three-day expedition, returning from remote huts at high elevation amid a ferocious winter storm that had blanketed the region with heavy snow and triggered extreme avalanche warnings.

Six members of the party fought for their lives and survived the initial burial, using emergency beacons to alert rescuers while huddling under a tarp in blinding whiteout conditions, gale-force winds, and sub-zero temperatures. Rescuers battled through the blizzard on skis and snowcats to reach them by late Tuesday evening, evacuating four men and two women—some with non-life-threatening injuries—to safety. But the other nine remained entombed beneath tons of snow, sparking a desperate, multi-agency recovery operation that pushed teams to their limits.

By Wednesday, February 18, rescuers had located the bodies of eight victims clustered in the debris field, a scene described as “horrific” by officials. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon, in a somber press conference, confirmed the finds but noted bodies could not yet be extracted due to ongoing dangerous weather. The victims included three professional guides and six clients, with seven women and two men among the dead and missing, ranging in age from 30 to 55. Many were mothers—several from the Bay Area, including parents of students at a local ski academy—who had taken time off during winter break for what was meant to be a cherished annual getaway among friends.

The ninth skier’s body was finally spotted Thursday as conditions briefly eased, allowing teams to push deeper into the slide path. With no signs of life and the grueling search finally concluding, authorities declared the last hope extinguished. “No miracle occurred today,” one rescue coordinator said off-record. “We’ve recovered everyone—tragically, all deceased.”

This tragedy eclipses previous disasters in the region, surpassing the 1982 Alpine Meadows incident and ranking as the deadliest skier-involved avalanche in U.S. history since records began. The group—experienced backcountry enthusiasts trusting their guides—ventured out despite red-flag warnings of high avalanche risk from heavy new snow loading unstable layers. Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot popular destination for challenging descents, became an inescapable trap when the slope released with terrifying speed and force.

Survivors’ accounts paint a picture of sudden chaos: the roar of snow overtaking them “rather quickly,” burying some instantly while others scrambled for air pockets or beacons. The six who made it out endured hours of terror in the storm before help arrived, their emergency equipment proving lifesaving. Now, they face survivor’s guilt amid profound grief for their lost companions.

The community around Truckee, Norden, and Lake Tahoe is shattered. A private ski academy in the area confirmed several victims were parents of current students, leaving young athletes and families in mourning during what should have been a joyful break. Tributes flood social media and local spots: “They were loving moms who lived for the mountains and their kids,” one academy statement read. “This loss ripples through our entire community.”

Questions swirl as investigations begin: Why did the group proceed under such hazardous forecasts? Were protocols followed? Experts stress backcountry skiing’s inherent dangers—remote terrain, unpredictable weather, and the need for impeccable avalanche awareness—but this scale of loss has stunned even seasoned observers.

Rescue operations, involving the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Placer County teams, and more, highlighted the heroism amid heartbreak. Teams skied miles through whiteouts, risking their own lives to locate victims. Bodies remain on the mountain pending safer extraction, prolonging agony for families awaiting final goodbyes.

As snow continues to fall and warnings linger, the Sierra Nevada stands silent witness to its unforgiving power. Nine lives—mothers, guides, passionate skiers—snuffed out in seconds. No miracle came. Only sorrow remains for those left behind, forever changed by the roar that stole their loved ones from the slopes they loved.

The deadliest avalanche in decades has claimed its full toll. The mountains claimed them all.