TRUCKEE, Calif. — Authorities confirmed Saturday that the bodies of nine backcountry skiers killed in a California avalanche four days ago have been recovered, concluding a challenging and dangerous rescue operation slowed by heavy snowfall.
The avalanche occurred Tuesday on Castle Peak near Lake Tahoe. A search team initially located eight victims, and later recovered a ninth skier who had been missing and presumed dead. The ninth victim was found “relatively close” to the others but had been obscured by white-out conditions when the other bodies were discovered. Recovery efforts had been paused for several days due to heavy snow and the risk of additional avalanches.
Helicopters from the California National Guard and the California Highway Patrol lifted the bodies from the mountain and transported them to snowcats—specialized vehicles for snow travel. Officials also used water as part of avalanche mitigation efforts, intentionally releasing unstable snowpack to reduce risk for rescue crews.
The extensive recovery and mitigation operation involved multiple agencies, including California Highway Patrol air operations, Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Pacific Gas & Electric, and the Sierra Avalanche Center.
The victims have been identified as:
Professional Guides Recovered Saturday:
- Andrew Alissandratos – Nevada
- Nicole Chu – South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Michael Henry – Tampa, FL
Other Victims:
- Carrie Atkin – Truckee-Tahoe area, CA
- Danielle Keatley – Marin County, CA
- Kate Morse – Marin County, CA
- Kate Vitt – Marin County, CA
- Caroline Sekar – San Francisco, CA
- Liz Clabaugh – Boise, ID
All three of the remaining victims were professional guides, while the other six were experienced backcountry skiers from California and Idaho.
The sudden loss has deeply impacted families, friends, and the wider backcountry skiing community. Authorities continue to assess the circumstances surrounding the avalanche, highlighting the inherent risks of winter backcountry skiing.
