The group of skiers concerned within the deadly avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains on Tuesday contains mother and father, principally moms, of scholars at a neighborhood college and ski academy, in response to a supply concerned within the search and rescue effort and a press release from the varsity.
“A number of members of the Sugar Bowl Academy group and others with sturdy connections to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit, and the backcountry group died in an avalanche on Tuesday, February 17, 2026,” a press release from the varsity stated.
Sugar Bowl Academy is a personal unbiased college boarding and day college designed for aggressive skiers.
A rescue ski workforce makes their strategy to the world of an avalanche within the Fort 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 almost all of each the deceased and surviving victims of the avalanche are mother and father linked to the varsity.
The mother and father’ youngsters are on a winter break from college, in response to sources acquainted.
Authorities haven’t publicly recognized any of the victims.
Emergency responders “are nonetheless working to recuperate the entire victims and aren’t 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 Middle, one among two websites the place search crews had 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, employees, and households by this tragedy. Most significantly, the Sugar Bowl Academy group 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 had been a part of the group of skiers who had been caught within the avalanche on Tuesday on the finish of a three-day guided journey.
Eight individuals are confirmed lifeless and one different particular person remains to be lacking, however presumed lifeless, the sheriff’s workplace stated. Of the lifeless 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 Pictures/Brooke Hess-Homeier)
Brooke Hess-homeier/AP
Six folks survived the avalanche — 4 males and two girls — and had been rescued by crews after sheltering underneath a tarp for hours amid “extremely harmful” circumstances, 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.
