Overview
- An avalanche on Feb. 17 buried a group of 15 people near Castle Peak and killed nine, including three Blackbird guides, while six people survived.
- Blackbird Mountain Guides quietly changed its website to say the company is no longer operating and has deleted its social media accounts, with the exact date of the shutdown unclear.
- In August, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued citations that carry more than $150,000 in proposed penalties and the company filed a formal appeal that remains pending.
- Blackbird published a preliminary investigation by avalanche professional Don Sharaf that assigned no company blame, a finding that conflicts with Cal/OSHA’s enforcement action.
- Ongoing state and local inquiries, unresolved appeals, and family impacts have focused attention on guiding decisions during severe storm conditions and could prompt broader review of backcountry safety practices.