More than 100 people gathered in downtown Truckee on Sunday evening for a candlelight vigil honoring the nine victims of last week’s avalanche near Castle Peak.
The vigil, organized by the town, brought residents, clergy, and visitors together in shared remembrance. The Church of the Mountains hosted a reception following the ceremony.
Among those killed were Michael Henry, who had lived in Truckee since 2019, and Andrew Alissandratos, who moved to North Lake Tahoe about a decade ago.
Meanwhile, Tahoe National Forest officials have lifted the Castle Peak Avalanche Closure, which had been in place to protect public safety and allow recovery crews to operate following the Feb. 17 avalanche.
The Sierra Avalanche Center has issued a Backcountry Avalanche Watch for the greater Tahoe region through early Tuesday morning, warning of high avalanche danger beginning Monday at 8:15 a.m. through 5 a.m. Tuesday. Forecasters cited a significant rain-on-snow event at higher elevations, which could trigger widespread avalanche activity.
Officials warn that blowing and drifting snow have created unstable wind slabs, while weak layers deep in the snowpack remain unstable in some areas.
In a separate development, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating two unrelated fatal ski incidents that occurred around 11:55 a.m. Friday at Heavenly’s Boulder Lodge.
Nicholas Jamil Haddad, 33, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, and Brian Robert Fraud, 57, of Elk Grove, California, died from injuries suffered in separate incidents at the resort. Life-saving efforts by Heavenly Ski Patrol were unsuccessful, and both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities stated there is no connection between the two cases. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
Leave a comment