8 Skiers dead after accidental Avalanche in California!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that they were in the backcountry. Think rugged. Not at a resort where they shut it down when there’s a blizzard and don’t reopen until they’ve done avalanche control.

It’s terribly sad. My heart goes out to their families and friends.

Correct, this was a 3 day trek across raw mountain slopes. I wonder if they even do avalanche control for non-resort areas? I mean they can't do every mountain.

Im a backcountry skier, and we have a vacation home in Truckee. No, they dont do avalanche control in the wilderness. And most resorts were closed Tuesday anyway (we stayed home).

There are a lot of open questions whyb4 experienced guides and 11 people with backcountry experience decided to go out in a storm that was forecast from last week. And after a warm spell which makes avy danger higher due to layered snow conditions.

But right now 8 dead bodies are still out there and another unaccounted for. Truckee is a tiny community. People are reeling.

Probably because 1 of the 11 guests was a lawyer or powerful person that threatened the tour company over canceling their outing.

Don't create irresponsible rumors. Contracts always have a weather safety cancelation clause.

The SacBee is reporting that one of the deceased is a spouse of somebody on the search and rescue team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that they were in the backcountry. Think rugged. Not at a resort where they shut it down when there’s a blizzard and don’t reopen until they’ve done avalanche control.

It’s terribly sad. My heart goes out to their families and friends.

Correct, this was a 3 day trek across raw mountain slopes. I wonder if they even do avalanche control for non-resort areas? I mean they can't do every mountain.

Only because Big Ski doesn't want to spend their corporate profits making the mountains safe.

This is either excellent sarcasm or the dumbest comment imaginable, and I truly can't decide which.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there no warning?

Why don't they have some kind of helmet that creates a large balloon of oxygen around them and a beacon that starts emitting signal? Like an airtag or something?

Yes there was warning not to travel in the area from the Sierra Avalanche Center

WHAT
HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected across backcountry terrain. HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Thursday.

WHEN
In effect from Tue, Feb 17, 2026 - 5:00AM to Thu, Feb 19, 2026 - 5:00AM

WHERE
Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass (Hwy 49) on the north and Ebbetts Pass (Hwy 4) on the south, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. This does not include ski areas or highways where avalanche mitigation programs exist.

IMPACTS
Rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during HIGH avalanche danger.

Sounds like Camp Mystic, but since it's skiing it will get a pass from DCUM.

What an absolutely dumb comment. What pass is being given ? Also these were adults who made the decision to go out when they should not have. The children at camp mystic didn’t have a say and suffered from the horrible decisions the inept adults made.

Children have no agency. Adults made the decisions at Camp Mystic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there no warning?

Why don't they have some kind of helmet that creates a large balloon of oxygen around them and a beacon that starts emitting signal? Like an airtag or something?

Yes there was warning not to travel in the area from the Sierra Avalanche Center

WHAT
HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected across backcountry terrain. HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Thursday.

WHEN
In effect from Tue, Feb 17, 2026 - 5:00AM to Thu, Feb 19, 2026 - 5:00AM

WHERE
Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass (Hwy 49) on the north and Ebbetts Pass (Hwy 4) on the south, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. This does not include ski areas or highways where avalanche mitigation programs exist.

IMPACTS
Rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during HIGH avalanche danger.

Sounds like Camp Mystic, but since it's skiing it will get a pass from DCUM.

What an absolutely dumb comment. What pass is being given ? Also these were adults who made the decision to go out when they should not have. The children at camp mystic didn’t have a say and suffered from the horrible decisions the inept adults made.

Is it confirmed that it was all adults?
My heart still breaks for that young teen who died in that stupid titanic submarine debacle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there no warning?

Why don't they have some kind of helmet that creates a large balloon of oxygen around them and a beacon that starts emitting signal? Like an airtag or something?

Yes there was warning not to travel in the area from the Sierra Avalanche Center

WHAT
HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected across backcountry terrain. HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Thursday.

WHEN
In effect from Tue, Feb 17, 2026 - 5:00AM to Thu, Feb 19, 2026 - 5:00AM

WHERE
Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass (Hwy 49) on the north and Ebbetts Pass (Hwy 4) on the south, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. This does not include ski areas or highways where avalanche mitigation programs exist.

IMPACTS
Rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during HIGH avalanche danger.

Sounds like Camp Mystic, but since it's skiing it will get a pass from DCUM.

What an absolutely dumb comment. What pass is being given ? Also these were adults who made the decision to go out when they should not have. The children at camp mystic didn’t have a say and suffered from the horrible decisions the inept adults made.

Is it confirmed that it was all adults?
My heart still breaks for that young teen who died in that stupid titanic submarine debacle.

Yes. All adults.

[Anonymous]

They were back country skiing in very questionable conditions. The outfitter is going to have a lot of explaining to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you really have to title it that? Praying for their families.

What's wrong with the title? It's accurate.

[Anonymous]

I would assume most advanced ski clothing these days have transponders embedded in them. That should facilitate finding the victims when the storm is over. How awful, but why were they out in blizzard conditions?

[Anonymous]

https://www.instagram.com/blackbirdguides/reel/DUzjaE3j3Jt/

Pretty weird to have the guide so clearly identifying avalanche conditions and not having the group take action to stay safe. So very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you really have to title it that? Praying for their families.

What's wrong with the title? It's accurate.

There is someone here who starts tragic threads and uses exclamation points in the title. It's tacky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But people keep insisting climate change isn’t real. Despite the avalanche of evidence. Pun intended.

All I know is we never had avalanches like this 20 years ago.

Absolutely not true. You're obviously not someone that skis out west much less does helicopter back country skiing.

Grew up skiing out west. Know people killed in their car from an avalanche 20+ years ago. Daily avalanche control is a thing that's been done for decades. Choosing not to ski during HIGH avalanche warnings is also a thing.

Screw off Colorado has no water moron climate change is real you maga stupid

And while yes they should not have been put in those conditions doesn’t negate climate change is a god damned fact

[Anonymous]

This is personal to me because I’m from California and because my family skis. We were just skiing last weekend (though in this area avalanches are not an issue like they are out west).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They were back country skiing in very questionable conditions. The outfitter is going to have a lot of explaining to do.

I don't need a company or guide to tell me not to go back country skiing when terrible weather has been predicted for a week. They left to go skiing on Sunday when they knew the chances of an avalanche were very high. Didn't try to return home til Tuesday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But people keep insisting climate change isn’t real. Despite the avalanche of evidence. Pun intended.

All I know is we never had avalanches like this 20 years ago.

Absolutely not true. You're obviously not someone that skis out west much less does helicopter back country skiing.

Grew up skiing out west. Know people killed in their car from an avalanche 20+ years ago. Daily avalanche control is a thing that's been done for decades. Choosing not to ski during HIGH avalanche warnings is also a thing.

Screw off Colorado has no water moron climate change is real you maga stupid

And while yes they should not have been put in those conditions doesn’t negate climate change is a god damned fact

You don't sound particularly well educated yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.instagram.com/blackbirdguides/reel/DUzjaE3j3Jt/

Pretty weird to have the guide so clearly identifying avalanche conditions and not having the group take action to stay safe. So very sad.

Surely, those in the group were intelligent enough to have listened to predicted weather and warnings? So very sad that they didn't.