Truckee, California — The Lake Tahoe community gathered Sunday evening for a candlelight vigil honoring the nine skiers who lost their lives in the Feb. 17 avalanche at Castle Peak, the deadliest avalanche in the Sierra Nevada in decades.
The vigil, organized by the Town of Truckee, took place days after recovery crews completed the difficult task of retrieving all nine victims from the rugged backcountry terrain near the Frog Lake huts.
Authorities confirmed that the group had been returning from a three-day guided backcountry skiing trip when the avalanche struck.
Among those remembered were six mothers and close friends identified as Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs, California; Lizabeth “Liz” Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho; Caroline Sekar, 45, of San Francisco, California; Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, California; Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, California; and Katherine “Kate” Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, California.
The three additional victims were professional guides with Blackbird Mountain Guides: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Verdi, Nevada; Nicole Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, California; and Michael Henry, 30, of Soda Springs, California.
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon previously confirmed that all nine bodies had been recovered following a two-day effort complicated by hazardous weather and unstable snow conditions.
Six other members of the 15-person group survived the slide, some sheltering under trees and using avalanche beacons to help rescuers locate them.
At Sunday’s vigil, residents were asked to bring candles or bright lights to symbolize what organizers described as “the bright lights that burned within these nine backcountry skiers.”
Before the ceremony began, community members created a memorial display featuring nine large hearts — one for each life lost — inviting attendees to leave written messages of love and remembrance.
Speakers at the vigil reflected on the victims’ deep ties to the Tahoe and Marin County communities, describing them as experienced, passionate skiers who shared a profound respect for the mountains.
Several emphasized that the group had been professionally guided and equipped with avalanche safety gear.
The ceremony also included expressions of gratitude for Nevada County Search and Rescue, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, and other first responders who operated in what officials described as dangerous and traumatic conditions during the recovery effort.
In addition to the vigil, the Town of Truckee announced ongoing support services, including community counseling sessions, faith-based gatherings, and peer support groups scheduled throughout the week.
Local leaders acknowledged that while the physical recovery operation has ended, emotional healing for families, friends, and the broader mountain community is only beginning.
As candles flickered across the gathering, speakers urged residents to lean on one another in the days ahead, remembering not only the tragedy but also the shared love of the outdoors that connected Carrie Atkin, Lizabeth Clabaugh, Caroline Sekar, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Katherine Vitt, Andrew Alissandratos, Nicole Choo, and Michael Henry.
