On Tuesday, Nevada County Supervisors presented certificates of recognition to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and the 21 agencies that were part of their response effort when a group of backcountry skiers and their guides were caught in an avalanche on Feb. 17. The avalanche resulted in the tragic loss of nine lives with six survivors rescued.
Sheriff Shannan Moon shared an overview of the response, which included hundreds of personnel, ski teams, snowmobiles and SnoCats, aerial operations and avalanche mitigation. The team remained nimble, adapting its operations and response tactics in the face of ongoing adverse weather.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and its partners rescued all survivors from the mountain on the day of the avalanche and, despite ongoing hazardous weather conditions, continued recovery efforts through Feb. 21 until all decedents were safely recovered from the mountain. The response reflected the entire team’s dedication and commitment to bringing every loved one home. The team even returned to the mountain on Feb. 27 to retrieve every possible personal artifact they could locate for the families.
District 5 Supervisor Hardy Bullock, who brought the item forward, said, “I am incredibly grateful to our Sheriff’s Office and all 21 agencies who responded with professionalism, courage and compassion. Their commitment under extremely challenging and dangerous conditions reflects the very best of public service. These agencies worked together, driven by a shared purpose: to be there for people when they needed help most.”
Sheriff Moon also reflected on the recovery efforts, saying in part, “This mission will be remembered not only for the lives saved, but for the extraordinary compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to recover every victim with dignity, honor those lost, and bring comfort to families.”
Sheriff Moon and Supervisors recognized those whose lives were lost, including three backcountry ski guides: Andrew Alissandratos, Nicole Choo and Michael Henry; and six guests: Carrie Atkin, Lizabeth Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Katherine Vitt.
The 21 agencies that supported the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office in the response efforts were:
- Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue
- Placer County Sheriff’s Office
- Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue
- Washoe County Sheriff’s Office
- Washoe County Search and Rescue
- California’s Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
- California Highway Patrol Air Operations
- Care Flight Truckee, a service of REMSA Health
- Sierra Avalanche Center
- Pacific Gas & Electric
- United States Forest Service
- California State Parks
- Truckee Fire
- OpenSnow
- Tahoe Donner’s Alder Creek Adventure Center
- Boreal Mountain Ski Resort
- Truckee Tahoe Airport
- Town of Truckee
- Truckee Police Department
- Truckee Donner Land Trust
- California National Guard
The Nevada County Board of Supervisors extends its sincere gratitude to all 22 agencies that, in the face of danger, did not step away but instead ran forward.