The Sierra Nevada mountains held a devastating secret this week, claiming the lives of eight skiers in a massive avalanche. Among the victims were six women, bound together not just by a shared love of the outdoors, but by the powerful ties of motherhood and friendship.
These weren’t novice adventurers. Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Kate Vitt, and sisters Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh were experienced backcountry skiers, women who regularly sought the thrill and serenity of the mountains together. Their families, united in grief, released a statement expressing their unimaginable sorrow.
“We are devastated beyond words,” they shared, requesting privacy as they navigate this heartbreaking time. Their immediate focus is on supporting the children left behind, and honoring the extraordinary lives lost – lives lived fully, connected through a passion for the wild.
The avalanche struck a group of fifteen skiers returning from a three-day guided trip. They were battling ferocious conditions: eight feet of snow and winds reaching 145 kilometers per hour. The sheer force of nature overwhelmed them near Lake Tahoe, triggering a tragedy that will forever mark California’s history.
In the immediate aftermath, a chilling scene unfolded as survivors desperately fought to locate their friends. Undersheriff Sam Brown described a “frantic mode” of digging, a desperate attempt to unearth those buried beneath the snow. They managed to recover three individuals, but it was too late.
The weight of uncovering those they knew and loved, Brown noted, was a horror beyond words. The group was fully equipped with avalanche safety gear, a testament to their preparation and respect for the risks inherent in backcountry skiing. They were skilled, passionate, and deeply connected to the mountains.
Sekar, a mother of two from San Francisco, and her sister Clabaugh, a nurse in Boise, Idaho, were among those lost. Vitt, also based in San Francisco, and Atkin, a Lake Tahoe resident and former athlete, completed the circle of mothers whose lives were tragically cut short. Each woman brought unique strength and vibrancy to the group.
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the trip, particularly why the group continued despite an avalanche watch issued two days prior. The February 17th avalanche near Castle Peak is now the deadliest in California’s history, a grim reminder of the mountains’ unforgiving power.
This tragedy follows another avalanche in the same area just last month, highlighting the increasing dangers faced by those venturing into the backcountry. The search for the final unaccounted for individual continues, a somber effort against the backdrop of a landscape now etched with loss.
