The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) released its avalanche season summary for 2023-24, reporting a total of 5,563 avalanches across the state’s backcountry last winter. This included 120 incidents—a season record for CAIC—with 149 people caught in avalanches, exceeding the 10-year average of 80 incidents and 98 people caught. Tragically, two avalanche fatalities occurred during the season. (Read the full season summary here for more details.) 

“The number of multiple-involvement accidents last season is concerning, but we hope it’s an anomaly and not a sign of a trend,” said Ethan Greene, CAIC Director. "Our mission is to protect lives while ensuring people can continue to enjoy Colorado’s beautiful backcountry.”

As the new season begins, CAIC encourages all backcountry travelers to take proactive steps to stay safe. 

"Avalanche safety starts with good information," said Greene. "We want to ensure that people heading into the backcountry have the tools and knowledge they need to stay safe and make informed decisions.”

How to Stay Avalanche-Safe This Season:

1. Check the Avalanche Forecast: Before heading into the backcountry, always check the Avalanche Forecast at www.colorado.gov/avalanche. The forecast includes the avalanche danger rating, a summary of current avalanche conditions, and travel advice. Understanding and applying this information can help you plan where and when to go.
2. Carry and Use Avalanche Safety Gear: Essential safety gear includes a transceiver (beacon), shovel, and probe. It is critical not only to carry this gear but also to practice using it effectively. Being prepared can make all the difference in the event of an avalanche.
3. Avoid Avalanche Terrain: Most avalanches occur on slopes between 30 and 50 degrees. Those wanting to avoid avalanche terrain should steer clear of these slopes and their runouts. If you plan to travel in avalanche terrain, it is highly recommended to take a course to gain the basic knowledge and skills necessary to navigate these areas safely.

CAIC will continue to build on several key initiatives that were launched last season to enhance avalanche safety information, communication, and research: 

• The forecasting team—nearly all of whom are returning, thanks to the transition from temporary to permanent roles—will provide continuity and expertise. Together with the field technicians–a new position created last season—they will focus on strategic data collection and refining forecasting accuracy.
• CAIC is also planning additional improvements to its website and forecasting products this coming season in its ongoing efforts to provide the best and most user-friendly information possible.
• CAIC will continue its collaboration with Simon Fraser University on The Snow Pool, a research project focused on improving avalanche risk communication. 
• CAIC will expand its outreach to Colorado’s Spanish-speaking population and continue to develop and translate more educational resources. 

These ongoing efforts are part of CAIC's commitment to ensuring that all backcountry users have the information they need to stay safe.

2023-2024 Avalanche Statistics  

BRECKENRIDGE, CO - Every year, hundreds of avalanche professionals from around the state descend on Breckenridge for the annual Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop (CSAW). CSAW is the state’s premier educational event for avalanche industry workers and advanced recreationalists and is hosted by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and Friends of CAIC. This year, the event is scheduled for Friday, October 18.

“We invite anyone interested in snow science and avalanches to join us for a great speaker series on topics ranging from the impact of wildfires on avalanches to uncertainty in backcountry forecasts,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “We are excited to bring some of the most renowned US avalanche industry professionals to this year’s CSAW event to share their experiences and research with the Colorado avalanche safety community.”

Other presentation topics include airbag effectiveness, wet slab avalanche cycles, crusts and facets, and stress management programs. Early bird registration for $35 is now open at Support.FriendsofCAIC.org/CSAW for the 23rd Annual CSAW. Registration increases to $45 on October 1. 

“We are incredibly fortunate that Breckenridge’s Riverwalk Center is again hosting this event,” said Aaron Carlson, Friends of CAIC Executive Director. “I also want to thank the Town of Breckenridge and presenting sponsors Dynafit and Pomoca for ongoing support of avalanche forecasting and education.”

About CAIC: 

CAIC is a state agency within the Department of Natural Resources that is dedicated to public avalanche safety. Since 1950, avalanches have killed more people in Colorado than any other natural hazard. Our mission is to provide avalanche information, education and promote research for the protection of life, property and the enhancement of the state’s economy. CAIC supports this mission by educating people about avalanche safety, issuing daily avalanche forecasts for 27,656 square miles of Colorado’s backcountry terrain, and participating in avalanche research projects to help advance avalanche and snow science. Learn more at Colorado.gov/avalanche.

2023-24 Regional Avalanche Data: 

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DENVER—Since last Thursday, March 21, 19 people have been caught in 17 avalanches in the northern San Juan Mountains, Elk Mountains, Gore Range, and Rocky Mountain National Park, with three people partially buried and one person fully buried. Between Wednesday and Thursday alone, eight people were caught in seven avalanches. 

“The increasing number of people recently caught in avalanches is concerning—especially as we head into a weekend with fresh snow and Considerable avalanche danger. The increased avalanche danger means there is an even greater chance of triggering an avalanche and it could be bigger than previous days,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “Thankfully, no one has been seriously injured or worse. We want everyone to enjoy our wonderful public lands and go home alive and well to their family and friends.”

CAIC has recorded more than 5,000 avalanches so far this season, with 102 people caught, 37 people partially buried, 6 people fully buried, and 14 people injured in avalanches this winter. Tragically, two people have been killed in avalanches this season.  

“Many of the recent incidents were in steep, consequential terrain. It might be late March and officially spring, but we still have winter avalanche conditions. People should be making travel plans based on the current snowpack - not the calendar,” said Greene. “We need everyone headed into the backcountry to check the avalanche forecast and make sure your plan for the day fits the current avalanche conditions.”

In Colorado, people recreating in the backcountry must be mindful of the risks that winter weather and constantly shifting weather patterns can present. Dangerous weather conditions that raise concerns are unpredictable, such as strong wind gusts, heavy snow storms, cold water temperatures, and avalanches. Below are outdoor recreation and avalanche safety tips to help you recreate responsibly. Avalanches happen in Colorado, so planning and monitoring the weather will ensure the safest time possible.

Avalanche Safety Tips:

• Check the forecast (www.colorado.gov/avalanche)
• Get some training (article, online material, evening to multi-day class)
• Be prepared (regarding avalanches, carry avalanche transceiver, probe pole, and shovel)

For more information about CAIC’s education resources page, visit https://avalanche.state.co.us/education/resources. To support avalanche safety programs in Colorado, Colorado residents can get a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass with their vehicle registration through the DMV. For more information, visit cpw.info/keepcoloradowild. 

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BRECKENRIDGE, CO – On March 18, two teens were playing outside a home in Breckenridge when a roof avalanche occurred. Both teens were partially buried in the debris and one was seriously injured. 

“This is a tragic accident. Like any avalanche accident, we want to warn people about being caught in a similar event,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “Roof avalanches are a problem every year in mountain communities, but right now we have a lot of snow in unusual places. We remain concerned about this hazard throughout the week.” 

Roof avalanches can seriously injure or kill people. Roof avalanches often release during a large snowstorm or when there is rapid warming following a big storm. CAIC recommends the following safety advice when a roof has a thick build-up of snow: 

• Always pay attention to snowy roofs above you. Minimize the amount of time you spend below snow-loaded roofs.
• Watch exposed people and keep a shovel nearby to locate someone.
• Shovel roofs early to reduce the snow load and potential consequences of larger roof avalanches.

The last roof avalanche fatality in Colorado occurred on March 16, 2023, near Durango when two children and a father were buried in a slide, and tragically one child died. (That accident report can be found here.) Five people have lost their lives in roof avalanches in Colorado in the last 30 years, and there have been many more injuries and close calls. See this resource on roof avalanches to learn more. 

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BOULDER - The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) issued a special avalanche advisory for mountainous areas of Colorado alerting the public to dangerous avalanche conditions heading into Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. There have been fatal avalanche accidents around MLK weekend in four of the last 12 years. 

“The avalanche danger is going to be higher and avalanche conditions are going to be trickier this coming weekend than what we’ve seen in the last few weeks,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “It’s been a dry winter in Colorado, and we’re all excited that we are finally getting some snow. This holiday weekend, a lot of people will be getting out and into the mountains, and there are lots of great, safe places to go. We want people to check the avalanche forecast and make a plan that keeps them off of the dangerous slopes.” 

Colorado has had an unusual period of low avalanche danger in December and early January. The advisory explains that new snow and winds through the holiday weekend will increase the avalanche danger statewide. Very dangerous avalanche conditions will develop in some regions, with the most dangerous conditions developing in the middle of the weekend. It will be easy to trigger large, widely-breaking avalanches capable of burying a person. Conditions will be more dangerous than they have been in weeks, so travel plans should be adjusted accordingly. 

CAIC Director Ethan Greene will host a virtual press conference on Thursday, January 11 at 12:30pm via Zoom at https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76419772617 or by phone at 17193594580 (76419772617#). Greene will open with a statement, and then media can ask questions by raising virtual hands. 

To see the avalanche forecast for your area or to learn more about avalanche safety, go to www.colorado.gov/avalanche. CAIC always urges backcountry travelers to educate themselves, travel with safety gear, and know the forecast. 

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Dec 20, 2023 - The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is teaming up with the Avalanche Research Program of Simon Fraser University in Canada (SFU) to launch The Snow Pool. The purpose of The Snow Pool is to have a broad group of people answer questions about how they understand and use avalanche safety information. Snow Pool participants will be invited to share feedback to help improve communication in Colorado, which could help save lives. 

“How we share avalanche safety information has evolved dramatically over the years, but that change has been based primarily on expert opinion,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. “Feedback from Snow Pool participants will allow us to understand how different kinds of people currently use our information so that we can improve our risk communication methods.”

CAIC is recruiting all types of users--hikers, snowmobilers, skiers, etc.--with all levels of experience. Those interested can learn more and sign up at https://caicsignup.avalancheresearch.ca/en/index.php. The initial sign-up takes about ten minutes and is best done from a computer. Individuals who sign up will receive emails from CAIC and SFU to participate in short online user surveys and provide feedback on CAIC forecasts and information. 

“We are especially interested in hearing from individuals who are just starting their backcountry adventures or only occasionally go into the backcountry,” said Greene. “This is an opportunity to be part of a community that contributes to the development of improved avalanche communications. Participants will be entered into prize drawings provided by the Friends of CAIC!”

This project is a collaboration between CAIC, Friends of CAIC, SFU, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

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BOULDER - This year marks 50 years of operations for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). CAIC is a program within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with a mission of providing avalanche information, education, and promoting research for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the state’s economy.

CAIC got its start as the Colorado Avalanche Warning Program (CAWP) in 1973 as part of the Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station. CAWP was the first avalanche program in the U.S. that issued public avalanche forecasts. 

“Information and education about avalanche safety saves lives. I am thrilled to celebrate the 50 years of Colorado Avalanche Information Center operations and thank the center for keeping Coloradans, and recreational visitors, safe and informed while exploring and playing in Colorado’s iconic great outdoors,” said Governor Polis. 

Under Governor Polis the state has invested significant resources in the CAIC and Avalanche safety. Through SB 21-219 sponsored by Senator Bob Rankin and Rep. Julie McCliskie, signed by Governor Polis on April 30, 2021, the state invested $750,000 in the operations of CAIC ensuring these critical services are readily available to Colordans. On June 21, 2021 Governor Polis invested Keep Colorado Wild Pass revenue in search and rescue teams and Avalanche safety programs by signing SB21-249 sponsored by Senators Stephen Fenberg and Kerry Donovan and Representatives Perry Will and Kerry Tipper. 

“Much has changed over the last 50 years, including how we forecast conditions, our understanding of avalanches, and the technologies we use to share information,” CAIC Director Ethan Greene said. “But what hasn't changed is our commitment to sharing information and educating people about avalanches to help keep people safe.”

Greene has been the director since 2005 when he took over for the previous long-time director, Knox Williams. Knox has described CAIC’s evolution and growth with “a tiny upstart program in 1973 to the largest and perhaps most successful avalanche safety program in the United States today.”

“The work CAIC does is critical for the state of Colorado. As someone who recreates in the mountains, I have always relied on CAIC as a life-saving source of information,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “CAIC’s history shows the organization’s ability to adapt to meet changing needs, and I have no doubt that CAIC will continue to be a leader in avalanche safety, research, and education over the next five decades.“

CAIC has been housed within different agencies and programs since its inception, starting as part of the Forest Service and then moving to the DNR – living both under the Colorado Geological Survey under DNR and the  Executive Director's Office, where it has resided since 2013. CAIC is the only avalanche center in the country that resides within state government – instead of under the Forest Service in the federal government or as a non-profit. The CAIC does, however, rely on its public-private partnership with the Friends of CAIC, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that formed in 2007 to promote avalanche safety in Colorado and support the recreation program of the CAIC.

CAIC will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary throughout the upcoming season this winter, spotlighting its history and the progress that has been made in avalanche awareness and safety over the years. The celebration will begin at this year’s Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop on October 27 in Breckenridge. All former CAIC staff have been invited to attend the special event. Learn more about CAIC's history on its 50th Anniversary webpage. 

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LEADVILLE - The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and Colorado Mountain College (CMC) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program partnered to develop the Avalanche Accident Explorer – an interactive map that displays information about Colorado’s fatal accidents since December 2009.

“Safely exploring Colorado’s iconic great outdoors is part of who we are. The new Avalanche Accident Explorer makes avalanche information more accessible to help Coloradans and visitors explore more safely,” said Governor Polis. “This collaboration between CAIC and CMC students is a great example of real-world learning opportunities for students that will protect Coloradans and our millions of visitors.”

Dara Seidl, CMC Leadville’s associate professor of geographic information systems, and CMC students Lucy Kepner and Joe Tayabji created the data visualization tool to help people more easily explore fatal involvements with avalanches.

“Partnering with CAIC on the Avalanche Accident Explorer has been a tremendous opportunity for CMC GIS students to engage in meaningful spatial visualization work for the benefit of our Colorado community,” said Seidl. “Our collaboration enabled our GIS students to further hone programming skills and build a custom web map application from the ground up.” 

Accidents are shown on a map with various layers and filters that can be selected. Users can filter accidents by travel mode, aspect, elevation, and avalanche type to explore where fatal accidents are taking place.

“We are so grateful for this partnership with Dara and her students,” said Ethan Greene, CAIC Director. “This interactive tool allows us to share important information about avalanche accidents in an intuitive, interactive platform. We know that people learn better when they can explore information. Together, we have created a public safety tool that allows people to see avalanche accident data on a map so that they can learn how to avoid this natural hazard.” 

The Avalanche Accident Explorer is accessible from the CAIC website at www.colorado.gov/avalanche under the Accidents menu. For more information about the data, go to CAIC Statistics & Reporting. To see the avalanche forecast for your area or to learn more about avalanche safety, go to www.colorado.gov/avalanche. CAIC always urges backcountry travelers to check the forecast, get some training, and be prepared with the proper knowledge and equipment. 

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