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2026-02-24

Sierra Avalanche Center Releases Initial Avalanche Report on Tragedy at Castle Peak, CA




On February 17, 2026, an avalanche, now considered California’s deadliest avalanche disaster, occurred near Castle Peak, claiming the lives of nine individuals. The incident involved a guided backcountry group of 15 people with Blackbird Mountain Guides consisting of 12 clients and 3 professional guides.

This avalanche occurred near a north-facing slope below Castle Peak. According to the Sierra Avalanche Center, the slide was classified as a soft slab/storm slab avalanche that was triggered due to unknown reasons as it was not clear whether the slide occurred naturally or was remotely triggered. The following technical observations were made:



Aspect: North

Elevation: 8,260 feet

Destructive Size: The avalanche was classified as a D2.5, which makes its typical length the size of a football field and roughly 6 ½ feet deep according to Avalanche.org.

Vertical Fall: The debris traveled approximately 400 vertical feet, funneling towards the bottom of path.

Impacts: 12 caught/carried; 12 completely buried; 9 killed.





The group was navigating through a high-intensity winter storm with extreme winds and heavy snowfall. While the group was going through a lower-angle section below a steeper pitch, the slope above them released. Out of the 15 members in the party, 12 were caught and fully buried by the debris. Three members of the group remained on the surface and immediately performed a companion search and were able to rescue 3 buried individuals. 

Search and rescue arrived on the scene in the late afternoon, but operations were severely hindered by ongoing “extreme” avalanche danger and blizzard conditions. However, 8 of the 9 remaining deceased victims were excavated, and the teams were able to evacuate the 6 survivors from the scene under their own power to the Frog Lake Huts.



The search and rescue teams were not able to return to the scene until after the storm ended and avalanche mitigation was performed on February 20. Following the avalanche mitigation, the teams were able to remove 5 of the deceased and found the 9th buried victim before nightfall. On Saturday, Feb 21, rescue operations concluded with the retrieval of the last 4 deceased.

The conclusion of this terrible event leaves behind a legacy of the deadliest avalanche in California’s history. While the analysis of this avalanche provides critical data for future safety of backcountry athletes, the loss of life and the families of the nine individuals is still immense. So if you have plans to head into the backcountry anytime soon, now would be the best time to sign up for an avalanche safety course to keep yourself and your group safe.

The post Sierra Avalanche Center Releases Initial Avalanche Report on Tragedy at Castle Peak, CA appeared first on SnowBrains.

Ссылка на источник: https://snowbrains.com/sierra-avalanche-center-releases-initial-avalanche-report-on-tragedy-at-castle-peak-ca/


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