For several weeks, the area was restricted to the public as teams worked to recover the body of a skier who tragically lost their life in a severe avalanche at Lake Tahoe.
In a statement, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department mentioned that the U.S. Forest Service Tahoe National Forest has declared a closure of all National Forest lands and trails in the Castle Peak vicinity near Truckee, California, from February 20, 2026, to March 15, 2026. This measure was taken to ensure the safety of both rescue operations and the wider public.
As part of ongoing rescue efforts, the public is advised to avoid the restricted area due to unstable snow conditions, which prioritize access for first responders.
“Please follow the closure notice and keep away from the area,” officials emphasized.
This order was issued shortly after rescuers reported that inclement weather prevented them from reaching the bodies of eight skiers who had perished. There are concerns that a ninth skier, still unaccounted for, may also have died.
In the aftermath of this harrowing incident, six out of the original 15 skiers—five women and one man aged between 30 and 55—were rescued.
