Nine Avalanche Victims Recovered and Identified After Castle Peak Slide

CASTLE PEAK — Crews recovered the bodies of all nine skiers killed in the February 17 avalanche near Castle Peak in Nevada County. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on February 21 that operations concluded with the final four victims retrieved that morning after five others had come down the previous evening.

Recovery efforts faced repeated delays from continued heavy snowfall, gale-force winds, and elevated avalanche danger in the days after the initial rescue of six survivors. Officials conducted aerial surveys and avalanche mitigation, including controlled measures to release unstable snow using water instead of explosives, before teams could safely approach the site. Helicopters from the California Highway Patrol and California National Guard hoisted each body from the avalanche debris and transported them to staging areas for further movement down the mountain with ground support.

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office identified the nine deceased in alphabetical order as Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Verdi, Nevada, a Blackbird Mountain Guide; Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs, California; Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, California, a Blackbird Mountain Guide; Lizabeth Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho; Michael Henry, 30, of Soda Springs, California, a Blackbird Mountain Guide; Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, California; Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, California; Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco, California; and Katherine Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, California. The group included three guides and six clients from the Blackbird Mountain Guides trip.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon addressed the completion of the mission. “There are no words that truly capture the significance of this loss and our hearts mourn alongside the families of those affected by this catastrophic event,” Moon said during the February 21 update. Families of several victims released a joint statement on February 20 expressing devastation and gratitude for the recovery efforts that allowed them to bring their loved ones home.

An investigation into the circumstances leading to the guided trip is ongoing with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Blackbird Mountain Guides has paused operations and continues to cooperate with authorities. The Tahoe National Forest has closed the area to public access until mid-March to support ongoing work and public safety.