Community Impact
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days to respond to stress
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weeks to connect one-on-one with
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months to offer resources and connection
After the Castle Peak Avalanche, We Hold Each Other Close
Nine people went into the mountains one February week and didn’t come home. The grief that followed belongs to all of us, and none of us has to carry it alone. If you need support, please visit our Tahoe Truckee Crisis Resources page.
On February 17, 2026, the Castle Peak Avalanche shook our mountain community to its core. Within hours, the Sierra Avalanche Center, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County, and Truckee Donner Land Trust were on the mountain—search and rescue teams risking everything to prevent further loss. What happened off the mountain mattered just as much.
The Tahoe Truckee COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) and 211 Connecting Point mobilized to ensure community members would not have to navigate their grief alone. COAD provided valuable insights to guide TTCF’s Emergency Response Fund grants, which went out to responder organizations and a central hub for local mental health resources and healing spaces. An additional grant supported the Sierra Nevada Resiliency Team in hosting training sessions on the 3-3-3 Traumatic Exposure Protocol for first responders, backcountry guides, and the Sierra Avalanche Center. The protocol helps individuals and teams process what they’ve experienced at exactly the right moments in the days, weeks, and months that follow.
The Tahoe-Truckee COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) connected with TTCF, the Sierra Nevada Resiliency Team, and the Responder Alliance. First responders, guides, and avalanche forecasters/professionals were trained to help people during the critical days and weeks after a disaster. The lessons they learn will help reduce short and long-term effects such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The COAD is immensely grateful to TTCF and their donors for responding quickly to the immediate needs of our community.
Anne Rarick
Program Director, Tahoe-Truckee COAD
Through the Emergency Response Fund (ERF), TTCF acts quickly acts during community crises and disasters. This is thanks to the year-round donations from all of you, our community members.
To learn more about our community impact and how you can partner with us to make a difference, contact TTCF Donor Services at donorservices@ttcf.net.