With more than half of Colorado’s ski areas forecast to receive more than 20 inches of snowfall over the next five days, and the West Elk mountains near Crested Butte anticipated to receive more than three feet, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning backcountry travelers that dangerous avalanche conditions are coming with the storm.
Popular backcountry areas will see significant snow accumulations, according to the OpenSnow forecasting and reporting service. Buffalo Pass is expected to receive 23 inches, Vail Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass 21, Jones Pass 20, Berthoud Pass 18 and Cameron Pass 15. That’s concerning, especially so early in the season, because all that snow will fall on a weak snowpack.
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“We’re particularly worried because we’ll see the most dangerous avalanche conditions we’ve seen so far this season when more people than usual will be getting out to recreate because of the holiday,” CAIC director Ethan Greene said in a news release.
Avalanche danger ratings are expected to reach Level 4 (high) by Tuesday night with large, dangerous avalanches possible. Only Level 5 (extreme) is more dangerous on the CAIC danger scale.
“There will be an increased likelihood of natural and human-triggered avalanches that are large enough to seriously injure or kill a person this week,” Greene said. “There are still lots of great, safe places to go. We want people to check the avalanche forecast and make a plan that keeps them out of avalance terrain, or off of the dangerous slopes.”
Fourteen people were injured by Colorado avalanches last winter and two were killed. The previous winter, 12 were injured and 11 died.