California Avalanche
A closed sign is partially buried at the entrance to the Castle Peak trailhead in Soda Springs, Calif., Friday, Feb. 20, 2026.
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Legal experts say a criminal investigation announced into whether negligence played a role in a deadly California avalanche could hinge on key decisions by guides leading the ill-fated ski trip. Pivotal moments may include the choice to embark on the backcountry trip at a time of heightened avalanche risk, followed by Tuesday’s decision to ski out after avalanche conditions had worsened. Eight people were killed and a ninth was missing and presumed dead after the group was hit by the avalanche in the remote Sierra Nevada wilderness. Attorneys who handle civil cases resulting from skiing accidents say they had not previously heard of a fatal avalanche during a guided trip that sparked a criminal investigation.
