Ninth Victim Recovered in Castle Peak Avalanche, Raising California Toll to Nine

Overview

• Nevada County authorities confirmed the recovery of a ninth body from the Feb. 17 slide near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada.
• A temporary flight restriction over the area remains in effect through 5 p.m. Sunday as a safety measure during ongoing operations.
• Teams used controlled releases of unstable snow with water and conducted aerial reconnaissance with a Black Hawk helicopter before entering the site.
• The avalanche struck a 15-person backcountry group during a severe winter storm; six people survived the slide.
• Separate avalanches in Utah on Feb. 18–19 killed a man in the Wasatch Range and an 11-year-old girl in Salt Lake County, prompting public safety advisories.