The group of skiers concerned within the deadly avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains on Tuesday contains dad and mom, principally moms, of scholars at a neighborhood faculty and ski academy, in accordance with a supply concerned within the search and rescue effort and an announcement from the varsity.
“A number of members of the Sugar Bowl Academy neighborhood and others with sturdy connections to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit, and the backcountry neighborhood died in an avalanche on Tuesday, February 17, 2026,” an announcement from the varsity stated.
Sugar Bowl Academy is a personal unbiased faculty boarding and day faculty designed for aggressive skiers.
A rescue ski workforce makes their strategy to the world of an avalanche within the Citadel Peak space of Truckee, Calif., February 17, 2026.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Workplace
A supply concerned within the search and rescue effort on the scene instructed ABC Information that the majority of each the deceased and surviving victims of the avalanche are dad and mom linked to the varsity.
The dad and mom’ children are on a winter break from faculty, in accordance with sources acquainted.
Authorities haven’t publicly recognized any of the victims.
Emergency responders “are nonetheless working to get better the entire victims and are usually not at the moment sharing the non-public particulars of the victims and the survivors out of respect for the households affected,” the varsity stated within the assertion. “Sugar Bowl Academy is equally not sharing the names of the victims and survivors out of respect for the households affected.”
A snowmobile is parked at Alder Creek Journey Heart, one in all two websites the place search crews have been launched to attempt to find a gaggle of lacking skiers after an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, in Truckee, California, U.S. February 18, 2026.
Jenna Greene/Reuters
The assertion went on to say, “Sugar Bowl Academy is concentrated on supporting its athletes, college students, workers, and households via this tragedy. Most significantly, the Sugar Bowl Academy neighborhood will proceed to be there within the months and years forward for the households which have misplaced family members.”
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Workplace stated earlier Wednesday that 15 folks have been a part of the group of skiers who have been caught within the avalanche on Tuesday on the finish of a three-day guided journey.
Eight individuals are confirmed useless and one different particular person continues to be lacking, however presumed useless, the sheriff’s workplace stated. Of the useless and lacking, seven are girls and two are males.
A highway is roofed in snow throughout a storm on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Truckee Calif. (AP Images/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
Brooke Hess-homeier/AP
Six folks survived the avalanche — 4 males and two girls — and have been rescued by crews after sheltering beneath a tarp for hours amid “extremely harmful” situations, authorities stated.
The tragedy is the deadliest U.S. avalanche in 45 years, second solely to an avalanche that killed 11 folks on Washington’s Mt. Rainer in 1981.
A spokesperson for Nevada County Sheriff’s Workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
