2026 Lake Tahoe avalanche

2026 Lake Tahoe avalanche
Lake Tahoe in May
DateFebruary 17, 2026
LocationLake Tahoe area, California
TypeAvalanche
Deaths9
Non-fatal injuries6

On February 17, 2026, an avalanche struck north of Lake Tahoe in California, around Frog Lake and Castle Peak. The avalanche occurred amid a heavy, multi-day snowstorm in the area. Nine people were killed. All of the deceased were members of a ski group who had been on a guided backcountry excursion at the time of the avalanche. The avalanche was the deadliest in the United States since the 1981 Mount Rainier avalanche.