The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office has launched a standard criminal investigation to determine whether any laws were violated in connection with the avalanche that killed nine people during a guided backcountry tour, authorities confirmed Friday.
The slide struck a group led by Blackbird Mountain Guides on Tuesday, Feb. 17, as they were returning to the trailhead on the final day of a three-day hut trip. The group consisted of four guides and 11 participants. Nine people — six clients and three guides — were killed. Five participants and one guide survived.
Families have identified six of the victims as Carrie Atkin of the Truckee-Tahoe area; Liz Clabaugh of Boise, Idaho; Danielle Keatley of Marin County; Kate Morse of Marin County; Caroline Sekar of San Francisco; and Kate Vitt of Marin County.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation is standard procedure in cases involving multiple fatalities and will determine whether any actions rise to the level of criminal negligence.
“We don’t have any prepared statements on the matter,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a written response. “We are investigating the incident to determine if there were any factors that would be considered criminal negligence. It is a standard investigation.”
Officials emphasized that no determination has been made about potential charges.
“It is too early to know if criminal charges will be applicable, as the investigation is preliminary and remains active and ongoing,” the sheriff’s office said.
As part of protocol in incidents involving potential workplace fatalities, the sheriff’s office also notified the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), which may review safety practices and working conditions.
Blackbird: ‘Enormous tragedy’
In a statement released Wednesday night, Blackbird Mountain Guides founder Zeb Blais called the avalanche “an enormous tragedy, and the saddest event our team has ever experienced.”
“In addition to mourning the loss of six clients, we also mourn the loss of three highly experienced members of our guide team,” Blais said. “We are doing what we can to support the families who lost so much, and the members of our team who lost treasured friends and colleagues.”
Blais said all four guides on the trip were trained or certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) in backcountry skiing and were instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), which sets industry standards for avalanche education.
He added that guides in the field communicate with senior guides at the company’s base to discuss conditions and route selection.
“There is still a lot that we’re learning about what happened,” Blais said. “It’s too soon to draw conclusions, but investigations are underway.”
Blackbird has suspended field operations at least through Feb. 22 and may extend the pause.
The company urged the public to refrain from speculation. “We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do,” Blais said.
High legal threshold
Criminal negligence in California generally requires conduct that represents a gross deviation from what a reasonable person — or in this case, a trained professional guide — would do under similar circumstances. Legal experts note that such cases often hinge on whether decisions made in the field amounted to recklessness or a disregard for known risks, rather than ordinary errors in judgment.
Authorities have not publicly identified any specific conduct by Blackbird Mountain Guides or its staff that may have contributed to the avalanche. Investigators are expected to examine weather and snowpack conditions, avalanche forecasts, terrain selection, group management decisions, safety protocols and communication leading up to the slide.
For now, officials say the focus remains on fact-finding.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.