\u201cAnytime you go in the back country with lots of new snow, it\u2019s risky,\u201d Di Nola, a ski industry investigations consultant for more than 20 years, told KQED.<\/p>\n
He said that most guide companies require participants to sign liability waivers that acknowledge that risk, and that guides who lead these trips have generally received applicable training.<\/p>\n
For Blackbird Mountain Guides to be found liable, he said, investigations or potential lawsuits against the company that could emerge would have to find that the company acted \u201crecklessly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLawyers would look at this and say, releases are signed \u2026 expected they don\u2019t release negligence that is reckless or more than just normal,\u201d Di Nola told KQED.<\/p>\n
He said an investigation may look into when the group decided to depart the Frog Lake Huts on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a reason why you hire an organization to guide you in these situations,\u201d Di Nola said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there was a decision \u2026 to move these people [and] at that time, they had knowledge of an increased avalanche danger, yeah, that\u2019s a jury question, and it\u2019s a question for a judge,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n In a statement issued Wednesday, Blackbird founder Zeb Blais said guides in the field were American Mountain Guides Association-trained or certified in backcountry skiing, and each was an instructor with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. The company offers courses in \u201cAvalanche Education\u201d and avalanche rescue.<\/p>\n Blais also said that guides in the field are in communication with senior guides at the company\u2019s base \u201cto discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.kqed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/02\/SierraAvalanche1.jpg\")