Heavy Winter Storms Hit Fresno County Mountains, Prompt Rescues, Outages

A powerful winter storm moving through the Sierra Nevada on Feb. 17-18 produced heavy snow at higher elevations and prompted rescues, road closures and community cleanup efforts in mountain communities around Shaver Lake and other parts of eastern Fresno County. The National Weather Service warned parts of the Sierra above 3,500 feet could receive up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) of snow over a 48-hour period and gusts as strong as 55 mph (88 km/h), creating treacherous conditions for residents and travelers.

The same storm fueled a major avalanche northwest of Lake Tahoe in the Castle Peak area near Frog Lake on Feb. 18, where a Blackbird Mountain Guides ski tour triggered a search-and-rescue operation. Nevada County authorities corrected an early count and said 15 skiers were on the trip; Al Jazeera and local reports indicated six skiers were found trapped and nine others were reported missing. Truckee Fire Department personnel evaluated the rescued skiers on scene, and Nevada County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ashley Quadros said, "Two of the six were taken to a hospital for treatment."

Rescue crews faced extreme conditions while reaching the Castle Peak site. Media reports said dozens of responders "pushed through fierce blizzard conditions" and it took crews several hours to reach the trapped skiers because of heavy snowfall and elevated avalanche danger. Sierra Avalanche Center forecaster Brandon Schwartz, the Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster based in Truckee, warned: "It's particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we're at the height of the storm." The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a warning starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday for the Central Sierra and Greater Lake Tahoe region, saying large slides were expected into Wednesday.

Local operators near Soda Springs reported rapid snowfall, with Soda Springs Mountain Resort recording at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) in a 24-hour span, reinforcing the avalanche risk that prompted several Lake Tahoe-area ski resorts to fully or partially close. Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement on its website that it "was coordinating with authorities on the rescue operation," and Nevada County Sheriff’s Office personnel continued to manage search logistics amid ongoing hazardous conditions.

In Fresno County, preliminary reports cite rescues, road closures and cleanup needs in mountain communities around Shaver Lake and eastern Fresno County, though officials have not yet released a comprehensive tally of road closures, power outages or the number of local rescues tied to the Feb. 17-18 storm. Agencies active in the region during the event include the National Weather Service, Sierra Avalanche Center, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and local fire departments; Truckee Fire Department handled on-scene medical evaluations for the Tahoe-area rescues.

The storm underscores the strain extreme winter weather places on mountain emergency services and rural health access: two hospitalized patients were reported from the avalanche response, avalanche warnings remained in force, and travel disruption persisted as crews worked to clear roads and support affected communities. State and local authorities continue to urge caution in backcountry areas as avalanche danger remains high and response resources remain stretched.