Six victims of California avalanche identified as part of close-knit friend group

"Six of the eight people who died after a major avalanche swept through the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada this week have been identified, according to multiple reports. The identified victims Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt were part of a close-knit group who frequently went on ski trips together, a spokesperson for the families told the San Francisco Chronicle. The women and their families cherished time together in the mountains, the spokesperson said."

"Two sisters, Liz Clabaugh and Caroline Sekar, were among those killed, according to the New York Times. Their brother, McAlister Clabaugh, said he was devastated by the loss. These are two of the best people I've ever known, he said. They were incredible sisters, mothers, wives and friends. And the idea that they are both gone is, I don't even know how to put it into words. He added that many in the group of 11 skiers had been close friends for years."

"The avalanche struck as the group was returning to the trailhead after a multi-day backcountry trek. Clabaugh worked as a labor and delivery nurse at St Luke's Health System in Boise, Idaho, according to the Chronicle. Sekar worked as a technology consultant. Sekar's husband, Kiren Sekar, told the Times that his wife was authentic and unabashedly unfiltered. He said they had been together for more than two decades and that she loved hiking, bicycling and skiing. Neighbors also recalled her generosity."

Six of the eight people who died after a major avalanche in the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada have been identified as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt. The victims belonged to a close-knit group of 11 skiers who frequently traveled together; one person remains missing and six others survived. Two sisters, Liz Clabaugh and Caroline Sekar, were among the dead. The avalanche struck as the group returned to the trailhead after a multi-day backcountry trek. Clabaugh worked as a labor and delivery nurse in Boise. Sekar worked as a technology consultant and was remembered as authentic, unfiltered and generous. Families said their focus is supporting children and honoring the women’s lives.

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