Nine Victims Identified in Deadly Castle Peak Avalanche

The three remaining unidentified victims were all back-country skiing guides.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The three victims who remained unidentified last week in the avalanche tragedy near Lake Tahoe have now been named as 34-year-old Andrew Alissandratos of Verdi, Nevada, 42-year-old Nicole Choo of South Lake Tahoe, and 30-year-old Michael Henry of Soda Springs, California and Tampa, Florida. All nine victims, including six previously identified women, were back-country skiing guides who died in the avalanche last Tuesday.

Why it matters

This avalanche tragedy near Lake Tahoe has been deemed the deadliest in modern California history, raising questions about the decision to proceed with the ski excursion given the snow forecast and whether more could have been done to ensure the safety of the group.

The details

The nine victims were part of a group of 15 people, including one guide with Blackbird Mountain Guides and five other clients, who were overtaken by the avalanche while skiing in the backcountry. Six survivors were rescued around 5:30 pm on Tuesday, approximately six hours after the incident. The avalanche was triggered after a month of little snow was followed by intense snowfall early last week.

  • The avalanche occurred on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • The bodies of the nine victims were recovered on Friday, February 21 and Saturday, February 22, 2026.

The players

Andrew Alissandratos

A 34-year-old back-country skiing guide from Verdi, Nevada.

Nicole Choo

A 42-year-old back-country skiing guide from South Lake Tahoe.

Michael Henry

A 30-year-old back-country skiing guide from Soda Springs, California and Tampa, Florida.

Blackbird Mountain Guides

The guide company leading the back-country skiing trip.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon

The sheriff who announced the names of the victims and provided details about the incident.

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What they’re saying

“Surely you can imagine the day of the recovery was very stressful for everyone.”

— Sheriff Shannan Moon, Nevada County Sheriff (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The Nevada County Sheriff's Department has not yet conducted formal interviews with the survivors to reconstruct what occurred during the avalanche.

The takeaway

This tragic avalanche incident near Lake Tahoe has raised important questions about risk assessment, safety protocols, and decision-making in back-country skiing operations, especially in the face of changing weather conditions and snowpack stability.