Rescue of Buried Snowmobiler Marks Increased Colorado Avalanche Danger

As one snowmobiler dug out from three feet of snow and revived two days ago can tell you, Colorado is winter avalanche country, and it's pretty dangerous right now, with several events reported in the new year. A look at the map showing dangerous areas indicates that you've got to be careful pretty much anywhere you go in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. If you do get caught in an avalanche, chances are you or someone nearby caused it, so getting educated about the risks is your best defense. According to the Utah Avalanche Center, 90% of avalanche fatalities were caused by the victim's weight, or that of someone in his or her party.

On New Year's eve motorists were stranded as the main highway through the mountains was closed due to the avalanche threat reported the Denver Post, and two avalanches were reported near Loveland pass on Tuesday and Wednesday with no victims, reports the Vail Daily.

The majority of avalanche-related accidents in Colorado, according to recent statistics, happen after the first of the year, and well into the spring. As of January 1^st, 2008, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center rates most of the popular areas of the Rocky Mountains as "considerable" risk of avalanches which means spontaneous avalanches are possible, and human-started ones are probable, like the one that occurred yesterday in which a snowmobiler was trapped under three feet of snow. He survived, thanks to friends and rescuers, with reports from local media including Seven News telling the story. There's a wealth of resources, including state and national information, to make sure you aren't the one who starts or gets trapped in any of these events, and to locate the danger level in the area you'll be visiting.

In the case of the snowmobiler, it was a bit of reckless "fun" that got him into trouble and nearly dead, snowmobiling up the face of a mountain. In other cases, the danger might not be so obvious, especially with the misconceptions that abound in the media about avalanches. Visiting the websites listed below or even taking a course are important ways to become aware of how avalanches happen, what danger signs to look for, and how to prepare and respond. Even though being buried under several feet of packed snow and debris with no air is something no skier or hiker wants to think about, prepared enthusiasts bring a number of high-tech devices and tools, including locator beacons, oxygen, snow saws and avalanche shovels, and other devices for locating and quickly uncovering avalanche victims.

One bit of very good news - since prediction efforts began in earnest in the 1990's, avalanche accidents on the highways have dropped to zero. Next time you're stuck on I-70 due to a road closure, motorists might be thankful that they have enough information to know when it's time to be extra careful, and hopefully have brought along some snacks and blankets for the wait.

"Avalanche threat strands thousands on New Year's Eve", George Merritt (AP), http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_7850748
"Avalanches near Loveland Pass; nobody trapped", AP, http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080102/NEWS/869205809/-1/rss02
"Avalanche Education," http://www.avalanche.org/~education/
"Forest Service National Avalanche Center (education)," http://www.fsavalanche.org/basics/basic_index.html
"WestWide Avalanche Network" (Interactive Map), http://www.avalanche.org
Main Page with Interactive Danger Map, http://avalanche.state.co.us/
"Avalanche Danger Scale," http://avalanche.state.co.us/Forecasts/About+the+Forecasts/Danger_Scale.htm
"Witnesses Talk About Snowmobiler Avalanche Rescue", Tyler Lopez, http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14954698/detail.html