The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) warns backcountry adventurers of the highest avalanche danger in over a month this weekend, urging caution and careful planning.
This weekend is shaping up to be the most perilous period of Colorado 's avalanche season, prompting the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) to issue a stark warning to backcountry adventurers. The CAIC urges individuals to meticulously plan their excursions, ensuring their strategies align with prevailing conditions, or to steer clear of hazardous zones altogether. 'Don't attempt to outsmart the avalanche danger in the coming days,' cautions the CAIC's forecast.
'If you do, there's a high likelihood you won't return home. Is a few runs in fresh powder truly worth risking your life?' The confluence of Valentine's Day weekend and Presidents Day weekend constitutes 'one of the busiest — and deadliest — times of the season,' according to the CAIC. Over one-third of all avalanche fatalities in February occur between February 14th and 16th, and February emerges as the deadliest month overall for avalanches in the state. 'Over the past decade, eight individuals have perished in avalanches between February 14th and 16th, often due to improving snow conditions coinciding with escalating avalanche danger,' the CAIC reported. A formidable atmospheric river storm swept into the state on Thursday night, unleashing heavy snowfall across western Colorado. This deluge has dramatically amplified the risk of substantial, perilous avalanches, the CAIC reported, characterizing it as a 'monster storm on a not-so-great snowpack.' These slides possess the capacity to traverse entire valleys. The storm is anticipated to persist in the mountainous regions through Saturday. “This represents the highest danger we've encountered in over a month,” stated CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “With a fragile snowpack, a significant storm, and a substantial influx of people venturing into the backcountry, the likelihood of avalanche accidents is elevated.” Avalanche danger has surged from a level 3, or 'considerable,' to level 4, which signifies 'high' for numerous Colorado mountains as of Friday morning, according to the CAIC's website. The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Avalanche warnings, signaling extremely hazardous avalanche conditions, are currently in effect, and large, natural slides are either underway or expected. Moreover, human-triggered avalanches 'are highly probable,' the CAIC asserted. “We anticipate natural avalanches this weekend, and individuals venturing into the backcountry risk triggering slides substantial enough to bury, injure, or even kill them,” Greene warned. “And as the skies clear on Sunday, the probability of an accident will increase due to favorable weather, fresh snowfall, and precarious avalanche conditions.” The Park Range, Elkhead Mountains, Gore Range, Flat Tops, Elk and West Elk Mountains, and most of the San Juan Mountains are projected to receive over 2 feet of snow and strong winds. The CAIC strongly advises against exploring avalanche-prone terrain in these areas on Saturday due to the extreme danger. Other regions of the state may not experience as much snowfall, but 'you can anticipate readily triggering avalanches in wind-drifted snow within and above treeline zones,' the CAIC stated, adding that some of these avalanches could 'step down to deeper, buried weak layers, resulting in inescapable slides.' Colorado's 2024-2025 avalanche season has recorded 39 incidents thus far, each involving at least one individual caught in an avalanche. One skier has tragically lost their life in an avalanche this season in the state. Always refer to the CAIC's website for avalanche conditions and forecasts before embarking on any backcountry excursions
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