Great powder and high danger: Avalanche risk ramps up in Colorado
The skies are deep blue and the pure white powder snow is sparkling. This week's fresh snow is adding a fluffy layer over snow from earlier in the month -- and it's adding danger.
"Avalanche conditions are more dangerous than we've experienced all season," the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said in a social media post. "In most mountain areas, triggering large and dangerous avalanches during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend will be easy. Avalanches will be large enough to injure or kill you."
It's foreboding for people traveling to places like Berthoud Pass.
"Trying to stay off the high angle right now. I don't know what the 'avi' danger is, but I can't imagine it's that low," said Jackson Goodwin, a high school student from Fort Collins out hitting the powder with friends.
A high angle is a slope over 30 degrees. Experts warn people to stay on the shallower slopes.
"Now is the time to stick to lower angle terrain, stay in places that are sheltered from the wind," said Mike Cooperstein, Northern Mountains regional manager for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. "And you can have a great time right now, there's really good snow, there's plenty of riding. Just have to be careful about what you're doing and be thoughtful right now."
A large portion of the mountains are at "considerable" risk of avalanches after this week's snow.
There have been over 400 slides over the past 7 days.
Winds are building up cornices.
"It's taking that fresh snow and it's blowing it to the other side of the mountains. So it's depressing the snow together. The snow is sticking, you get this stiffer layer over this weaker snow down below. And that's what's really causing the danger right now. So when we get these slabs, especially these wind-built slabs, you can trigger avalanches from the bottom of slopes, you can trigger them from the sides of slopes. They'll propagate a long way," said Cooperstein.
He suggests people pay particular attention to north and east-facing slopes.
Search and rescue crews are watching carefully. Grand County Search and Rescue's field director Greg Foley says people should be prepared with gear and knowledge.
"Everybody needs to have the right tools, a beacon, probe and shovel for going out in the backcountry. But it's also important to know how to use those tools. Just going down to your sporting goods store and just getting outfitted in backcountry skis and gear and stuff doesn't teach you how to save somebody's life."
There are classes at many of Colorado's mountain colleges and there is a search function at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center's website.
