skiers

Search crews in California’s Sierra Nevada were racing against fading light and relentless snowfall to find 10 missing skiers after an avalanche swept a guided group on Castle Peak in the Tahoe area, officials said. The slide struck late yesterday morning as a powerful storm pummeled the mountains with heavy snow and high winds. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said 16 people — four guides and 12 clients — were caught up in the avalanche near the summit west of Truckee. Six have been accounted for, but mountain rescue…

Rescuers launched a frantic search for 10 missing backcountry skiers after an avalanche swept a guided group on California’s Castle Peak in the Tahoe area, as a powerful Sierra Nevada storm continued dumping heavy snow and driving winds. Authorities said 16 people — four guides and 12 clients — were caught up in the slide late yesterday morning. Six have been accounted for, and mountain rescue teams were attempting to reach them while also combing the area for the others amid whiteout conditions and fresh snowfall. “Highly…

Skiers in Crans-Montana formed a heart on a snowy slope in a powerful tribute to the victims of the New Year’s Eve blaze at the “Le Constellation” bar, where 40 people were killed and 119 others were injured, many of them severely. The heart-shaped formation, captured on video, became a focal symbol of collective mourning in the ski community after the deadliest nightclub fire in years. Organizers and participants aligned themselves across the piste, their tracks drawing a clear, white outline visible from above — a quiet…

Skiers ascend Mount Etna as eruption continues and Italy raises alert level to yellow Ski mountaineers took advantage of the Christmas holiday period to climb and carve down the snow-covered slopes of Mount Etna even as Italy’s most active volcano continued to erupt, drawing onlookers eager to witness thick ash clouds against clear winter skies. Italy’s Department of Civil Protection has raised the alert level for Etna from green to yellow, citing the potential for a rapid escalation in volcanic activity. The shift in status…