Avalanche danger expected to increase over President's Day weekend

Yahoo

12-02-2025

DENVER (KDVR) — Avalanche conditions across Colorado are expected to get more dangerous during the upcoming President's Day weekend.
'We are going into a very stormy period and a holiday weekend so we're very concerned about what's going to happen over the next week,' Colorado Avalanche Information Center Director Ethan Greene said.
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As of Tuesday evening, CAIC's avalanche forecast map shows low to moderate danger. According to Greene, the forecast will change on Wednesday to reflect increased danger.
'We've had a period of fairly low avalanche danger but we're starting to get a little bit more snow and we're seeing those weak layers re-activate much quicker than we were anticipating,' Greene said.
On Monday, two CAIC forecasters triggered a large avalanche on Vail Pass. They were not hurt but caught off guard.
'What was troubling in this particular case was that these guys were looking at an avalanche, they were repositioning themselves to try to get a better look. They did not anticipate they'd be triggering an avalanche by taking that action,' Greene said.
CAIC is concerned that if experts are triggering slides in areas where they do not expect an avalanche to happen, visitors to the backcountry may also find themselves in a dangerous situation.
Greene said Friday and Saturday are expected to be the most dangerous period for avalanche activity. However, he believes Sunday and Monday will be the most dangerous days for people to potentially be injured or killed.
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'The weather is going to calm down and that's probably the most dangerous period for people getting into backcountry accidents. Likely on Sunday and Monday because we'll have loaded the snow with a whole new layer, whole new snowstorm, whole new windstorm and then it will back off. We'll still be in very dangerous avalanche conditions but it won't be quite as obvious because the weather will be more benign,' Greene said.
CAIC recommends regularly checking the avalanche forecast multiple times before heading into avalanche terrain. Anyone planning to recreate in the backcountry should have avalanche safety equipment and know how to use it.
'There's going to be lots of places people can go and recreate safely but we're seeing changing avalanche conditions so the techniques they were using, the places they were going to stay safe last week may not be appropriate this next week,' Greene said.
CAIC also does avalanche forecasting for mountain roadways. Greene said that his team is working with CDOT to determine when and where avalanche mitigation might be necessary over the holiday weekend.
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