Overview
- Western Austria reported at least five avalanche fatalities after nearly three dozen slides on Friday, with risk still elevated this weekend.
- A 450-meter-wide slide near St. Anton am Arlberg buried five off-piste skiers; victims include a U.S. and a Polish citizen, and a 21-year-old Austrian died at hospital.
- Separate incidents killed a 42-year-old German in Nauders-Bergkastel and a 39-year-old Swiss snowboarder in Klösterle, while a 16-year-old survivor was rescued.
- Tyrol officials counted more than 200 avalanches over the past week and said no weather relief was expected through Sunday.
- In northern California, crews recovered all nine victims from Tuesday's avalanche, part of a guided group of 15, as Cal/OSHA and the county sheriff opened investigations into Blackbird Mountain Guides and the decision to proceed under a winter-storm warning; the Sierra Avalanche Center issued a new alert.