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Lake Tahoe guide company implicated in deadly avalanche shuts down
Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company involved in a February avalanche that killed nine skiers in California’s Sierra Nevada, has shut down. Its website says it is no longer operating and remembers those who died; the closure follows scrutiny of the company’s role in the ill-fated trip.
Cal/OSHA fined the company more than $150,000 in August, alleging it failed to assess avalanche danger before leading the excursion near Castle Peak, despite warnings to stay out of the backcountry. Blackbird appealed, saying it complied with regulations and established safety frameworks, and arguing that mountain conditions change rapidly. All nine victims, including three of the company’s guides, were buried under five to six feet of snow and suffocated, authorities said.
In short
- Blackbird Mountain Guides has stopped operating.
- Nine skiers died in the February avalanche.
- The company appealed Cal/OSHA citations exceeding $150,000.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Closing the company may be a responsible step after a fatal incident and sustained scrutiny, particularly if it can no longer assure clients and staff that its operations are safe or viable. Ending guided trips could also prevent further exposure to risk while the company’s role is contested and the families and community grieve.
The case against
The company’s closure does not establish that it violated safety rules: Blackbird disputes Cal/OSHA’s findings, says it followed applicable frameworks, and argues that mountain conditions can change rapidly. If it had been operating in good faith, shutting down may end a service and livelihoods before its appeal is resolved, without clarifying what happened or improving safety practices elsewhere.
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