On Feb. 17, 2026, a large avalanche on a north-facing slope near Castle Peak above Donner Summit swept a guided backcountry group, killing eight people and leaving one missing. The Blackbird Mountain Guides party of 15 was descending or traversing near Perry’s Point when an enormous slab released; six members survived. Two days earlier, a separate party of four had left nearby Frog Lake Huts to beat the same storm. Authorities describe the incident as the deadliest avalanche in the United States in more than four decades.
Key Takeaways
- Event date and place: Feb. 17, 2026, north-facing slope near Perry’s Point on Castle Peak above Donner Summit, California.
- Group composition and toll: 15 people from a guided party were swept; six survived, eight were confirmed dead, and one remained missing.
- Timing and weather: A major seasonal storm was approaching; one separate party departed the Frog Lake Huts two days earlier to avoid it.
- Scale of slide: Reported as a large slab avalanche that broke free and carried the whole group downhill.
- Historical significance: Officials called this the deadliest U.S. avalanche in over 40 years, prompting renewed scrutiny of guided backcountry travel protocols.
Background
Backcountry skiing and guided tours in the Sierra Nevada have expanded over recent years as winter recreation demand rose and snowpack variability increased. Guided outfits run trips across remote ridgelines and couloirs where formal avalanche control and rescue infrastructure are limited. That combination—more parties on complex terrain and intermittent heavy storms—raises exposure to slab avalanches, which form when a cohesive layer of snow detaches and moves as a unit.
Guides typically rely on avalanche forecasts, on-site stability tests, and conservative terrain selection to manage risk, but decisions are practiced under time pressure and changing conditions. The Frog Lake Huts and nearby routes are popular because they give access to long, remote runs; they also place clients and guides in positions where escape options can be limited if a large slide occurs. Regulatory oversight of guide operations varies by state and land manager, placing emphasis on industry standards and professional judgement.
Main Event
According to accounts reconstructed from survivors and local sources, two parties were active in the Castle Peak area that weekend. On Sunday a small party of four left the Frog Lake Huts to descend the crest ahead of a forecasted storm. Those skiers left the area and returned home without incident. Two days later, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, a larger guided party from Blackbird Mountain Guides was on or near a north-facing slope close to Perry’s Point when a wide slab released.
The avalanche carried all 15 people in the guide party down the slope. Rescue efforts recovered six survivors; eight people were confirmed dead at the scene or later, and one person remained unaccounted for in initial reports. Local search-and-rescue and emergency medical teams responded, working in difficult conditions created by fresh snow and unstable terrain to locate and evacuate survivors and recover those killed.
Survivors described the day as bright at times with variable wind and a storm approaching from the west; some witnesses said the snowpack exhibited signs of instability typical before a slab release. Community members who had been at the Frog Lake Huts earlier said they had left before the storm arrived, underscoring how timing and route choice affected outcomes that weekend.
Analysis & Implications
This incident spotlights how a single slab failure can have catastrophic consequences when it engulfs an entire party. Slab avalanches are often triggered by an additional load—new snow, wind-deposited drift, or a party moving across a steep, loaded slope. In guided settings, the trade-off between client experience and conservative terrain avoidance becomes acute when forecasts predict a large storm.
For the guiding industry, the deaths will likely prompt reviews of decision protocols, group size, spacing and on-slope travel patterns, and the use of pre-established escape routes. Professional organizations and certification bodies may update best-practice guidance on when to cancel or modify trips ahead of high-consequence storms, especially on north-facing slopes known to preserve weak layers.
Search-and-rescue capacity is another area of consequence. Large, multi-victim avalanches place heavy demands on local rescue teams, helicopter resources and forensic recovery operations; agencies may ask for additional funding or mutual-aid agreements to handle similar mass-casualty winter incidents. The event could also influence land managers and insurers to revisit permit rules or liability frameworks for commercial operations in high-risk zones.
Comparison & Data
| Event | Date | People Swept | Confirmed Dead | Survivors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Peak avalanche | Feb. 17, 2026 | 15 | 8 | 6 |
The table above summarizes the immediate, verifiable counts from the Castle Peak incident. Officials have characterized the slide as the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. in more than 40 years, a metric that places this event well above typical annual avalanche fatality counts and underscores its exceptional severity.
Reactions & Quotes
Community members and local backcountry users expressed shock and grief. One neighbor who had been on the ridge earlier said the bright intervals and calm felt deceptive given the incoming storm; he emphasized how quickly conditions can change and how timing mattered for those who left the huts before the weather turned.
We thought conditions were excellent and left to avoid the storm; what happened later was devastating.
Kurt Gensheimer, local backcountry skier (paraphrased)
An industry perspective warned that even experienced guides can face difficult calls. The guiding community signaled cooperation with investigators and a commitment to reviewing practices to reduce future risk.
We are coordinating with authorities and supporting families; this tragedy will prompt a careful review of operational decisions.
Representative, Blackbird Mountain Guides (paraphrased)
Unconfirmed
- Exact trigger: Investigators have not publicly confirmed whether the slide was triggered by a person, natural failure, or a specific wind-loaded cornice.
- Missing person status: As of initial reports, one person remained missing and had not been located; recovery details were pending.
- Operational detail: It was not yet publicly confirmed whether the guided party was traveling under an official permit or whether internal group decision logs exist.
Bottom Line
The Castle Peak avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026, was a mass-casualty event that exposed the limits of margin for error in backcountry guide operations during large storms. Timing—who left and who remained on the crest—appears to have been a decisive factor in survival for those in the area that weekend. The immediate toll—eight dead, one missing, six survivors—will drive scrutiny of how guided trips are evaluated and authorized in unstable conditions.
Expect near-term reviews by industry groups, local authorities, and rescue agencies, and potential revisions to best practices on client numbers, terrain choices, and go/no-go rules when substantial storms are forecast. For winter recreationists, the episode is a stark reminder that professional guidance reduces but does not eliminate risk; education, conservative decision-making and respect for avalanche forecasts remain essential.