Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
Back to profile1 entries
2026
Cal/OSHA fines Blackbird Mountain Guides $151,300 over Castle Peak avalanche
Fine or penalty
California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health fined Blackbird Mountain Guides a total of $151,300 across seven citations following its investigation into the deadly Castle Peak avalanche that killed nine people on February 17, 2026. The largest fine, $81,000, was for failing to correct the imminent hazard posed by traveling in avalanche terrain when avalanche danger was rated high; another $16,200 was for failing to adequately identify and assess avalanche hazards. Blackbird said the citations do not reflect the reality of its profession or safety program and that it believes it operated in full compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Company response
Denial — Blackbird Mountain Guides
The citations do not reflect the reality of our profession or the safety program we have built. We believe Blackbird operated in full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and consistent with the established safety frameworks of the broader professional mountain guiding industry.
Source excerpt
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) handed down fines totaling $151,300 to Blackbird Mountain Guides (BMG) for its part in the deadly Castle Peak avalanche that killed nine people on February 17, 2026.
The citations do not reflect the reality of our profession or the safety program we have built. We believe Blackbird operated in full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and consistent with the established safety frameworks of the broader professional mountain guiding industry.
The most severe fine made up more than half of the final tally — $81,000 for “failing to correct the imminent hazard posed by traveling in avalanche terrain when the avalanche danger was rated high.”