Monarch Pass, CO Report: Perfect Trees, Sun, and Stoke Brought to you by Monarch Mountain Report From January 1, 2021 Powder and sun is the best way to start a new year. Today Josh, Micah, and I toured some low-angle terrain on Monarch Pass. We did 2 laps on Perfect Trees and one lap on Snowstake. We bailed on our plan to summit and ski Clover Mountain after evaluating […] Conditions Report Dominic Gawel | January 1, 2021 0 Comments
Free Avalanche Beacon Training Park Near Vail, CO White River National Forest and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) just installed a new beacon training park just off of the I-70 near Vail, CO. The new training park gives backcountry users a free and convenient location to practice avalanche rescue. Users need to provide their own avalanche rescue equipment: a beacon, shovel, and probe. The training park is […] Avalanche Dominic Gawel | December 26, 2020 1 Comment
CAIC Publishes Full Report of Avalanche That Killed a Skier Near Crested Butte, CO Last Week On Friday, December 18, 2020, a backcountry skier was caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche in the Anthracite Range west of Crested Butte, CO. The death was the first avalanche death of the 2020/21 season in the US. Related: 1st Avalanche Fatality of the Season in USA Today in Colorado The final accident report is now available for us all […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 23, 2020 0 Comments
Colorado Snowpack Weakest Since 2012 | CAIC Issues Special Avalanche Warning For Backcountry Skiers Since Friday, three Coloradans lost their lives in avalanche accidents, and 132 avalanches were reported. People triggered one-hundred-and-eight avalanches in the last week. More people die in Colorado’s avalanches than in any other state, and this year conditions are especially dangerous. Related: This Weekend Colorado Saw 121 Avalanches, 42 Triggered by Humans, and 3 Deaths This is not the landscape-changing […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 22, 2020 0 Comments
74 Human-Triggered Avalanches in Colorado in 6 Days | Extremely Weak Snowpack For Much of State Right Now View this post on Instagram A post shared by Friends of CAIC (@friendsofcaic) With much of the inter-mountain West being dry in regards to precipitation for the first part of this winter, snow instabilities have formed. The snowpack is weak in a lot of places—and dangerous. Especially in Colorado. Related: The SnowBrains Podcast – Episode #4 – What’s […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 16, 2020 1 Comment
Former Avalanche Forecaster Discovers That Approximately ⅓ of Tourer Fatalities in the U.S. Occurred When Tourers Were Ascending Are you traveling in the backcountry this year? Do you spend most of your time identifying avalanche terrain while traveling uphill or downhill? If you think that most avalanche fatalities occur when tourers are going downhill, then you are correct. BUT a shockingly high percentage of avalanche fatalities still occur when tourers are going uphill—32% percent to be exact, according […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 9, 2020 0 Comments
Men Facing Criminal Charges for Triggering Colorado Avalanche Claim CAIC Violated Their 4th & 5th Amendment Rights Video courtesy of The Colorado Sun Two snowboarders facing criminal charges and $168,000 in restitution for triggering an avalanche that buried an access road of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels in Colorado in March are claiming the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) violated their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. Related: VIDEO: Helmet Cam Footage Shows Moment Men Triggered I-70 Avalanche That […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 4, 2020 10 Comments
38 Avalanches, Including 13 Human-Triggered, Recorded in Colorado Just Last Week [arve url="https://youtu.be/etQRmHntmHY"] AvyBrains | November 30, 2020 Likes Tweets 0 Comments
CAIC to Hold Annual Conference Virtually This Fall Due to COVID-19 The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) announced on Tuesday that they will not be hosting their annual Colorado Snow and Avalanche Workshop (CSAW) conference in person this fall. Instead, they will be hosting the workshops online. Related: The Colorado Avalanche Information Center & The Friends of CAIC The CAIC provides a summary of the CSAW conference on their website: “The CSAW […] Avalanche Clay Malott | July 17, 2020 0 Comments
Full Report of Avalanche That Killed Backcountry Skier in Colorado Last Week The CAIC just released the full report of the avalanche that took the life of a beloved Crested Butte resident on 28th April 2020. A man in his 40s, later identified as local mountain guide Dan Escalante, was caught in an avalanche on Tuesday morning while skiing the Climax Chutes and succumbed to his injuries sustained from the slide. Related: Local […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 8, 2020 0 Comments
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Has Lost Funding Due to COVID-19 and Needs Your Help [arve url="https://youtu.be/tuTHYobN3Tg"] AvyBrains | May 6, 2020 Likes Tweets 0 Comments
UPDATE: Final Report Published For Colorado Avalanche that Killed Backcountry Tourer on April 15 The CAIC just published a final report for the April 15 avalanche that caught two backcountry tourers on Red Peak in Colorado’s Gore Range, killing one of them. “On April 15, a group of backcountry tourers were involved in an avalanche near Red Peak in the Gore Range. Two riders were caught. The avalanche swept one rider the length of […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 22, 2020 0 Comments
How Much Time Do You Really Have to Live Under an Avalanche? The more time that passes when you are buried in an avalanche, the lower your chance of survival. The actual statistics of the survival times of those buried by avalanches is shocking. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, if you are full buried for: 0-10 minutes you have a 90% chance of survival 11-20 minutes you have a 36% […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 3, 2020 0 Comments
Colorado Avalanche Information Center Asks All Backcountry Users to Sign the “Check the Forecast Pledge” It’s looking probable that the 2020/21 ski season will see more backcountry users than ever before. With various restrictions and occupancy limitations at ski resorts, combined with record sales of backcountry gear, all signs are pointing towards an increase in backcountry recreation. Related: This 2020/21 Season Could See More Backcountry Recreationists than Ever Before As more and more novice skiers […] Backcountry Spencer Cox | February 8, 2020 0 Comments
There Were More Than 50 Avalanches Reported in Colorado Last Weekend The welcome holiday snowfall brought widespread avalanche activity to all backcountry zones across Colorado, with in excess of fifty avalanches reported in total over the holiday weekend. Related: Why Early Season Snow is Dangerous in Colorado | News Release: CAIC The slides were ‘no surprise’ to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) due to the fragile snowpack structure that this […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 3, 2019 0 Comments
The 12th Annual CAIC Benefit Bash is this Saturday November 23rd in Breckenridge, CO The Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s Benefit Bash is this Saturday the 23rd. This is the largest fundraiser of the season put on by the Friends of CAIC. Tickets are $50, and there are less than 200 tickets left. With your ticket, you get one door prize ticket, two drink tickets, and access to a massive silent auction. Proceeds […] Industry News Curtis Weller | November 20, 2019 0 Comments
Colorado Avalanche Information Center Begins Daily Reports The Colorado Avalanche Information Center announced on its social media channels Tuesday that the state-supported nonprofit is now conducting its 2019-20 season daily weather and avalanche forecasts. Related: The Colorado Avalanche Information Center & The Friends of CAIC The CAIC will issue daily regional backcountry avalanche forecasts for the northern, central and southern Rocky Mountains throughout the state by 3 […] Industry News SnowBrains | November 10, 2019 0 Comments
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Will Resume Daily Forecasts Today Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) announced on Facebook yesterday that they intend to begin their daily weather and avalanche forecasts today, Friday 1st November. Related: The Colorado Avalanche Information Center & The Friends of CAIC On November 1 we will resume daily weather and avalanche forecasts. We will issue daily Regional Backcountry Avalanche forecasts for the Northern, Central, and Southern […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 1, 2019 0 Comments
Skier Killed by Avalanche in Colorado was on Level 2 Avalanche Safety Course A group of backcountry skiers were taking a Level 2 avalanche safety course Saturday in Colorado when they triggered an avalanche — burying and killing one skier in their party, state officials said. Related: Heavy Snowfall Across The Alps Claimed 7 Lives Last Weekend The six backcountry skiers were in a course on Red Mountain Pass in Senator Beck Basin led […] Avalanche AvyBrains | January 9, 2019 0 Comments
Skier Buried and Seriously Injured in Large Avalanche on Jones Pass, CO There was a close call in the Jones Pass, CO area yesterday reports the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) when a skier triggered a large persistent slab avalanche on an above-treeline southeast-facing slope. His partner was caught, carried, buried up to his neck, and seriously injured. You might also like: CAIC Videos Demonstrate Why There is Considerable Avalanche Danger in Colorado […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 20, 2018 0 Comments
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