Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Warns of Dangerous Avalanche Conditions During Thanksgiving Week The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is warning backcountry travelers of a significant increase in avalanche danger across the Colorado mountains during Thanksgiving week. An atmospheric river is bringing heavy snowfall to Colorado this week, with up to three feet expected in some areas and at least two feet across much of the mountains. Related: Avalanche Watch Issued For Sierra […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 26, 2024 0 Comments
Avalanche Forecasting 101: The Framework of a Professionalโs Daily Avalanche Forecast This post first appeared on Powder Highway Backcountry, was written by Conor Hurley, and is reproduced with permission. Avalanche Forecasting 101 Avalanche forecasting is a fundamental part of backcountry skiing and splitboarding. It is a skill every backcountry enthusiast should strive to develop. Avalanche forecasting involves understanding how weather, the snowpack, and terrain interact. Then, you add the human element […] Avalanche Guest Author | November 18, 2024 0 Comments
Forest Service Budget Challenges Threaten Avalanche Center Operations Nationwide Chances are, if youโve gone backcountry skiing in the United States recently, youโve looked at an avalanche center forecast. Regional avalanche centers utilize a mix of professional observers and forecasters, public observations, and weather stations to generate daily assessments and forecasts of the avalanche risk in mountain ranges across the United States. Looming federal budget cuts have forced the Forest […] Avalanche Zach Armstrong | November 10, 2024 0 Comments
Brain Post: The Hidden Dangers of an Early Season Snowpack Have you ever wondered why avalanche forecasters get so worked up about early season snow? Those first few storms of the season might seem harmless enough, maybe just enough snow to cover the grass and get us dreaming about powder days ahead. But here’s the thing: these early season storms can set up the snowpack for instability that persists throughout […] Avalanche Clay Malott | November 7, 2024 1 Comment
[VIDEO] A Skier Triggered an Avalanche in Super Couloir at Bridger Bowl, MT, Yesterday A skier triggered an avalanche in Super Couloir at Bridger Bowl, Montana, on Wednesday, November 6. The slide measured 2 to 2.5 feet deep, 20 feet wide, and traveled approximately 500 feet. No injuries were reported. “Skier triggered Pocket in super couloir. Wasn’t very unexpected, the skiers left side felt a little slabbier than the skiers right and tried to […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 7, 2024 0 Comments
Buried Hiker Survives Crowsnest Pass, AB, Avalanche Thanks to Quick Rescue Three hikers triggered a slab avalanche in Crowsnest Pass on Sunday, reminding us that winter conditions persist in alpine areas despite unseasonably warm temperatures in southern Alberta. Related: First Snowfall, First Avalanche: Skier Triggered and Caught Near Silverton Mountain, CO The incident occurred southwest of Coleman near Mount Coulthard, in an area known locally as the York Creek plane crash […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 5, 2024 0 Comments
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Begins Daily Forecasts as Avalanche Season Kicks Off Last week, a snowstorm dropped over 20 inches in many parts of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, marking the beginning of ski season for riders in the state. Wolf Creek Resort has already opened for the season, and many others are making snow with opening days on the horizon. As the snow accumulates in the resorts, so does it gather in Colorado’s […] Avalanche AvyBrains | October 31, 2024 0 Comments
First Snowfall, First Avalanche: Skier Triggered and Caught Near Silverton Mountain, CO A skier triggered and was briefly caught in an avalanche on Sunday, the first reported human-triggered avalanche of the 2024-25 winter season. The incident occurred in Silverton Mountain, Colorado’s, heli terrain. The area had received almost two feet of fresh snow the previous day. Related: The Dangers of Early Season Backcountry Skiing According to a report on the Colorado Avalanche […] Avalanche AvyBrains | October 21, 2024 0 Comments