California workplace safety officials fine Blackbird Mountain Guides after a February avalanche in the Sierra Nevada that kills three company guides and six skiers, for a total of nine deaths. Regulators say the deaths occur when the group travels into backcountry terrain under dangerous avalanche conditions.
The Independent reports the company faces about $150,000 in penalties, while The New York Times puts the figure at $151,300. Both outlets describe the incident as California’s deadliest modern avalanche and link the enforcement action to alleged workplace safety failures connected to how the trip is planned and conducted. The reporting focuses primarily on the fine amount and the fatal outcome, rather than on broader disputes about causation. Neither outlet highlights a detailed public defense or settlement terms at the time of reporting, but both indicate the state’s action is part of its investigation and enforcement process following the disaster.
