Warnings have been reinforced in Colorado ski areas as another deadly avalanche struck over the weekend, bringing the total of fatalities on US slopes to 14 this season.
In the latest incident, two skiers were killed on Star Mountain east of Aspen with a further three skiers hospitalized with broken bones.
A rescue team had to deal with "very, very steep terrain" and high winds to recover the two bodies.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center had posted warnings of dangerous conditions for backcountry skiers after two weeks of unusually heavy snowfall, with fast moving snow slides aggravated by high winds and warm temperatures.
Earlier last week two Colorado skiers were killed in separate incidents at Keystone Ski Resort and Kebler Pass, near Crested Butte.
Similar high risk avalanche advisories have been issued in Utah, Oregon, Washington and Montana.
