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Colorado's avalanche risk decreases, but backcountry users urged to take precautions

There are signs of improvement when it comes to the avalanche danger in Colorado's mountains
There are signs of improvement when it comes to the avalanche danger in Colorado's mountains 06:48

From Dec. 26, 2024 to Jan. 15 most of Colorado's mountains remained at Considerable (3 of 5) to High (4 of 5) avalanche danger.  According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the avalanche danger across much of Colorado has decreased to Moderate danger level (2 of 5), but the CAIC warns that 40% of avalanche deaths occur at the moderate danger level. 

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CAIC

"The reason for that is at the low end of the scale avalanches are very unlikely so most slopes are safe from avalanches. At the high end of the scale, avalanche conditions are so dangerous that most people are simply avoiding avalanche terrain.  It's when things kind of quiet down that you don't have these obvious signs of instability like: shooting cracks, natural avalanche activity, and loud audible collapses. So, you have to start making decisions about which terrain to travel into and which not. So conditions get a little trickery to make travel plans appropriate for the current conditions and this is why people often get into trouble in moderate and considerable avalanche danger," CAIC Deputy Director, Brian Lazar said.

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CAIC

The extremely cold weather has also impacted avalanche conditions by weakening the snowpack from top to bottom creating sluffing in all of the weak snow. Parts of the Northern Mountains, the Park Range, and Northern Front Rage near Rocky Mountain National Park could pick up a foot of new snow this weekend therefore large avalanches are still possible in these areas. 

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CAIC

You can find safer travel on lower-angled slopes and those sheltered from the wind. For daily avalanche forecasts visit avalanche.state.co.us or download the CAIC app. 

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