Have a look at this video to get a feeling what skiing in "champagne powder" is about in Austria.
Ski - Champagne Powder - YouTube
That was what the prince experienced that day till the avalanche hit him. It had snowed for days and the temperature had been low, so it was a lot of finest powder snow, the so-called "champagne powder", on top of the old, harsher snow.While this is great to ski, it is extemely dangerous as the powdered snow only sits on the old snow, but is not interconnected properly with it. On the prepared slopes, this powder is pressed and thus forms one level of snow which can be skiied on securely.
But of course it is not the same as skiing off-piste in the deep powder snow. The Arlberg area is known for their potential of champagne powder. That is for experienced skiiers only of course but for them it is irresistible.
That's why so many return there year after year!
On that Friday there was blue sky and sunshine, which is already warm at that time of the year. But the rising temperatures of the days before that friday had seen the higher level of snow melting and refreezing and then snowing again,so the powdered snow was interrupted with small layersof ice which made it even more skidding. That's why there were so many avalanches during these days.
The day after the queen and Friso's family had arrived at Lech, the road had to be closed due to avalanches and Lech was only reachable through the air. At Ischgl, not far from Lech in a neighboring valley, an avalanche had even hit a prepared slope. So yes, it was a real risk. But in exchange those who were not hit by an avalanche got a very rare experience of skiing through real deep powder snow.
With today's modern equipment it is not longer as risky as it used to be, but of course you have to carry that equipment with you! I did not grow up in the mountains but I have lived here quite a while now and while I was at first absolutely fascinated by the snow and the countryside etc., the more I experience harsh winters and the often real dangerous sides of heavy snowing, the more I became worried. I'll never forget the first time I heard an avalanche: it has such a dark, a bit howling, but more thunderous sound to it, and then comes crashing down - absolutely deadly!
And this winter is the most dangerous of all, with so much snow in the mountains! People are already afraid that if spring comes fast this year, we will have floodings again on the Danube and the other rivers.