Photo: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
Nevada County Supervisors presented certificates of recognition Tuesday to the 22 agencies that responded to the deadly Castle Peak avalanche last winter. The massive avalanche occurred on February 17, 2026, killing nine people northeast of Donner Summit in the Northern Sierra Nevada. Six survivors were rescued the day of the avalanche, and the combined efforts of the agencies recovered the bodies of all the victims by February 21. They even returned on February 27 to recover every possible personal artifact of all the victims.
“This mission will be remembered not only for the lives saved, but for the extraordinary compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to recover every victim with dignity, honor those lost, and bring comfort to families,” said Sheriff Shannan Moon.
It’s still unknown if the avalanche was natural or human-triggered. The 15-member group caught in the slide was traveling toward the Frog Lake Huts at the end of a three-day backcountry tour. Snowfall rates reportedly reached up to four inches per hour through heavy winds, all contributing to a massive avalanche that ran approximately 400 vertical feet through trees, and leaving a 100-foot-wide debris path for search and rescue to navigate.
The map shows the location of the Frog Lake ski huts in relation to Castle Peak and Interstate 80. Photo: Google Maps screenshot
“I am incredibly grateful to our Sheriff’s Office and all 21 agencies who responded with professionalism, courage and compassion,” said District 5 Supervisor Hardy Bullock. “Their commitment under extremely challenging and dangerous conditions reflects the very best of public service. These agencies worked together, driven by a shared purpose: to be there for people when they needed help most.”
