DENVER (KDVR) — After the state’s second deadly avalanche in only a matter of days, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center warns that February is historically the deadliest month for avalanches.
According to data from the CAIC, in February 2024, Colorado saw 17 total avalanche incidents involving people, including one fatality. In February this year, including the fatality on Berthoud Pass, at least 19 incidents and two deaths with a week left to go.
“It’s certainly more than we’d like to see,” said CAIC director Ethan Greene.
Greene said incidents pick up in February largely because of how the winter months progress, with avalanches breaking on weak layers of snow that formed months ago.
“By the time we get to February, we have both those weak layers buried in the snow pack and we have a lot of snowfall in February and the winter has progressed enough so we have a fairly deep snow pack so the avalanches are much bigger,” said Greene.
On Saturday, avalanche danger is listed as moderate or considerable around the state, a two or three on a scale of five, a rating Greene said is easy to ignore.
“But that’s a little bit misleading for people because most of the fatal accidents happen at those two danger levels in the middle part of the scale,” said Greene.
With warmer temperatures ahead and no storms in the forecast, however, Greene said the danger is more likely to go down.
“The further we get away from the last big snow storm, the last big wind storm, the number of those avalanches or the chances of triggering those avalanches will decrease,” said Greene.
Greene does say, however, that with the snowy months of March and April still to come, there is potential for danger to kick back up again. He encourages backcountry hikers and skiers to check the CAIC website every day for updated conditions before going out.