Avalanche Victims Honored At Mill Valley City Council Meeting

MILL VALLEY, CA — The Mill Valley City Council dedicated a portion of its March 16 meeting to community recognition, offering a solemn tribute to the victims of the deadly February avalanche.

Mayor Max Perrey began by acknowledging the tragedy near Castle Peak and Frog Lake in the Truckee–Tahoe region, which killed nine people, including three Marin residents and a Mill Valley School District parent of three.

“Our hearts here at the City of Mill Valley go out to the families and friends of the victims,” Perrey said before leading a moment of silence.

Several of the victims of California's deadliest avalanche were identified following the incident on Feb. 17.

“They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors. They were passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains,” read a statement from a spokesperson for some of their families.

The statement was signed by the families of Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt.

Keatley, Morse and Vitt were all from Marin County.

Larkspur Mayor Stephanie Andre shared condolences following the death of Danielle Keatley, co-founder of Keatley Wines in Healdsburg.

"The pair were frequently seen supporting local organizations and sharing their namesake wines at community events," Andre told KQED. "Danielle Keatley was a radiant, beautiful soul."

Kate Morse, a resident of Tiburon, served as vice president of commercial strategy at Septerna, a biotechnology company, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had over two decades of experience in the life-sciences sector, with prior roles at Vir Biotechnology, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Agios Pharmaceuticals, and Genentech. She is survived by her husband, Eric Morse, and their three children.

Neighbors in Greenbrae mourned Kate Vitt, who had relocated to the area roughly four years prior with her husband and two sons, as reported by the SF Standard. A mother of two, she was a former employee of SiriusXM and Pandora.

Perrey also told The New York Times that multiple skiers on the trip were mothers from Mill Valley, including at least one woman who did not survive.

“Our heart in Mill Valley goes out to the families that have been impacted,” he said.

The victims were part of a group of 15 people — clients and guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides — when the avalanche occurred on the final day of a three-day backcountry trek in the Tahoe National Forest near Truckee.

The focus has since shifted to an investigation into Blackbird Mountain Guides for criminal negligence, as state officials look into the decision to proceed with the trip despite escalating storm risks, according to accounts from survivors who spoke with the New York Times.

The Sierra Avalanche Center stated that details of the avalanche "remain unknown and may never be known" because a subsequent snowstorm covered the site .

The Associated Press contributed to this report.