There are still unanswered questions after the deadliest U.S. avalanche in decades, but more is now known about the victims.
A powerful avalanche struck near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada by Lake Tahoe during a guided backcountry ski trip, killing eight people, with one skier still missing and presumed dead. Authorities say the group was returning to camp when the slide hit. The search has shifted from rescue to recovery, and the area remains closed due to dangerous conditions.
Families have identified six of the victims as a close-knit group of mothers and longtime friends: Kate Vitt, Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, and sisters Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh. They were experienced skiers from California, Idaho, and the Truckee–Tahoe region who shared a deep love of the outdoors and regularly traveled together.
In a joint statement, their families said they were “devastated beyond words,” describing the women as passionate, skilled, and devoted mothers, wives, and friends.
Among those lost was Kate Vitt, a Marin County mother of two and former executive. Caroline Sekar, 45, of San Francisco, died alongside her sister Liz Clabaugh, 52, of Boise. Their brother called them “two of the best people I’ve ever known.”
Several victims were connected to the Sugar Bowl Academy ski community, which is now mourning alongside their families.
The avalanche, which struck around 11:30 a.m., is being called the deadliest in California history and the most lethal in the U.S. since 1981. As recovery efforts continue, families say they are leaning on one another and honoring the women’s spirit, expressing gratitude for the extensive rescue response and the outpouring of community support.