Tahoe Area Avalanche Claims Eight Lives; One Missing

[Edd]

It occurred in the parking lot?!

No, just located his car there.

 

[thetrailboss]

No, just located his car there.

Yeah, I was just about to fix that. Looks like they found his car was left afterhours and tracked it to him and determined that he was still up on the mountain.

I expect more tragedies this weekend. People are just too hungry for snow.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Yeah, I was just about to fix that. Looks like they found his car was left afterhours and tracked it to him and determined that he was still up on the mountain.

I expect more tragedies this weekend. People are just too hungry for snow.

Sadly this may wind up being the worst avalanche period / conditions in American history.

 

[AdironRider]

Oh come the fuck on. Worst avalanche conditions of all time is pure hubris, you just haven't been around avalanches for more than 2 years and haven't seen it before. Armchair qbing a situation where you haven't even read the avi report (which by the way was not at the highest rating on the scale, which you would know if you read it) is amateur hour, notably when you are shitting on the deceased.

If you knew what you were talking about, you'd know not to talk about it in this instance, but that hasn't ever stopped you before.

 

[LuckyStrike]

Why does avalanche talk bring out all the hardos? It's the same on the Teton Gravity forum.

 

[abc]

At least there’s actual discussion mixed in on the TGR forum. More detail information too.

 

[thetrailboss]

At least there’s actual discussion mixed in on the TGR forum. More detail information too.

Can you provide a link? Curious about the details.

 

[eatskisleep]

Avy near Castle Peak / Tahoe - Teton Gravity Research Forums

Man, this is horrific. (https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/02/17/tahoe-area-avalanche-buries-skiers/) Gonna reserve judgement, but damn. This storm cycle is huge, currently sitting at kirkwood and its dumping 1.5-2" an hour and will be for next several hours. This could be a mass casualty event...

forums.tetongravity.com

 

[Former Sunday Rivah Rat]

At least there’s actual discussion mixed in on the TGR forum. More detail information too.

Yet here you are.

 

[takeahike46er]

Bruce Temper, a highly respected avalanche forecaster, shared his thoughts on the tragedy.

 

[abc]

Yet here you are.

For comparison

(and also looking for opportunity to suggest alternatives, which I succeeded)

 

[eatskisleep]

Bruce Temper, a highly respected avalanche forecaster, shared his thoughts on the tragedy.

His book is like the bible of Avalanche study. I’ve read it a few times. I should bust it out again.

 

[kendo]

(2) of the survivors shared their experience in a NY Times article.

‘Avalanche!’: Survivors Recount the Tragedy at Perry’s Peak

The story of how nine skiers were killed, and six survived, in the deadliest avalanche in modern California history.

www.nytimes.com

 

[kingslug]

I've come to the conclusion..that after surviving 20 years doing stuff like this..I'm done.
I cant think of a worse way to die than suffocating under feet of snow.
I get the thrill of it..but you have to pull the plug at some point.
Guides are great..but the mountain..is greater.
I feel bad for all those that go through this.

 

[CTguy]

@kendo, thanks for the article!

Noticed that beacons were required of skiers but not airbags. Given that the women victims were avid backcountry skiers, I have to wonder why they (and the guides) didn't invest in one.

 

[kingslug]

That's a good question..
I wear one for motorcycle racing..
500 bucks could save your life..

 

[KustyTheKlown]

another article. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2026/03/californias-deadliest-avalanche-castle-peak/686227/

you can jump the atlantic paywall by pasting the link at archive.ph

"The people who live here, who love these mountains, know even small mistakes can be unforgiving. And they know why people take those risks anyway."