Authorities have completed recovery of all nine backcountry skiers killed by an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, concluding a four-day search and rescue operation hampered by heavy snow and whiteout conditions. The avalanche struck at approximately 11:30 a.m. Tuesday on Castle Peak near Truckee, California, on the final day of a three-day ski tour that the group had decided to cut short to avoid an impending snowstorm.
The recovery involved coordination among numerous agencies and 42 volunteers, with the final four bodies retrieved Saturday morning using helicopters in severe winds.
The victims
Three guides from Blackbird Mountain Company were among those killed: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Tampa, Florida; Nicole Choo, 42; and Michael Henry, 30.
According to biographies on the company’s website, Alissandratos moved to Tahoe roughly a decade ago and enjoyed a wide array of adventure activities, from backcountry exploration to rock climbing. Henry moved to Colorado in 2016 and then to Truckee three years later. He was described as “laid back” and devoted to sharing his knowledge and love of the mountains with others.
“This was an enormous tragedy, and the saddest event our team has ever experienced,” said Zeb Blais, founder of Blackbird Mountain Company. “We are doing what we can to support the families who lost so much, and the members of our team who lost treasured friends and colleagues.”
Six women, all in their 40s, were also killed: Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, and Kate Vitt. The women, from the San Francisco Bay Area, Idaho, and the Lake Tahoe area, were experienced backcountry skiers who formed a close-knit group of friends.
“We are devastated beyond words,” their families said in a joint statement. “Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women. They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”
The avalanche and rescue
The group had decided to end their three-day tour early to avoid the impending snowstorm. Six survivors called for help almost immediately after the avalanche, describing a slide approximately the length of a football field. In the aftermath, they discovered three bodies themselves.
Rescuers were not able to reach them until approximately six hours after the initial call, Nevada County Sheriff’s Lt. Dennis Hack said. When they arrived, they found five additional bodies, but conditions were too dangerous to attempt recovery due to heavy snowfall and the risk of additional avalanches.
A breakthrough came Friday when authorities used two California Highway Patrol helicopters, with assistance from Pacific Gas & Electric Company, to break up snow and intentionally release unstable snowpack, reducing the avalanche risk. Crews were then able to recover five bodies that evening.
On Saturday morning, rescuers used helicopters and ropes to hoist the last four bodies from the mountain, fighting through severe winds that forced them to make multiple trips. The bodies were then transported down the mountain using snowcats—specialized vehicles that can traverse snow.
Sheriff Shannon Moon praised the coordinated response at a Saturday news conference. “We are fortunate in this mountain community that we are very tight-knit, and our community shows up in times of tragedy,” she said.
Investigation and closure
Authorities have closed the terrain until mid-March. Chris Feutrier, forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest, said the area would remain off-limits while the investigation continues. The Forest Service intends to restore public access once the investigation is complete.
Initial reports indicated that at least two of the surviving skiers were not swept away by the avalanche. The others were caught by the slide but standing relatively close together. Of the six survivors, four were rescued by authorities while two escaped on their own.
Hack declined to offer information about what might have triggered the avalanche. Officials have described the path the group took as a “normally traveled route” but declined to specify what that designation means.