An avalanche last week in California’s Sierra Nevada killed nine people during a backcountry ski trip.
All nine bodies were recovered over the weekend, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
The group of 15 — 11 skiers and four guides — included six survivors.
Those who died, listed in alphabetical order, are:
- Andrew Alissandratos, 34, of Verdi, Nevada, Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Carrie Atkin, 46, of Soda Springs, California
- Nicole “Niki” Choo, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, California, Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Lizabeth Clabaugh, 52, of Boise, Idaho
- Michael “Mike” Henry, 30, of Soda Springs, California, Blackbird Mountain Guide
- Danielle Keatley, 44, of Soda Springs and Larkspur, California
- Kate Morse, 45, of Soda Springs and Tiburon, California
- Caroline Sekar, 45, of Soda Springs and San Francisco, California
- Katherine Vitt, 43, of Greenbrae, California
Candlelight vigil honors nine victims
A candlelight vigil was held in downtown Truckee, California, on Sunday night to honor the nine victims.
Authorities on Friday identified six women who were close friends that died in the avalanche.
On Saturday, officials released the names of three additional victims who worked as guides for the outdoor adventure company Blackbird Mountain Guides.
The company said in a statement that those who died were “deeply loved family members, friends, partners, and valued members of the broader community.”
The statement added that members of its guiding team — Andrew Alissandratos, Niki Choo and Mike Henry — were among those killed, describing them as skilled professionals, colleagues and friends “whose passion for the mountains shaped who we are.”
Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon, the department’s chief spokesperson on the tragedy, said in a statement, “There are no words that truly capture the significance of this loss, and our hearts mourn alongside the families of those affected by this catastrophic event.”
The avalanche was the deadliest in the United States in the past 45 years.
