Grand Mesa

Start and end your day early to avoid wet snow avalanches. If overnight temperatures do not drop below freezing at 12,000 feet, steer clear of the steepest and rockiest terrain facing northwest through east (click here for the CAIC Weather Station page).

In the last week, 40 avalanches were reported from across the state. Sixty percent of these were the larger, more dangerous and less predictable Wet Slab avalanches. They all occurred in very steep and rocky terrain, usually with bare ground near the start zone and more often in the above treeline elevation band. Avoid this type of terrain as soon as the snowpack becomes unsupportable.