Grand Mesa

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect for the Grand Mesa and will run through Sunday afternoon. Recent storm snow rests on a weak, fragile snowpack. Dangerous avalanche conditions extend from mountain tops to valley floors. You can trigger a large, dangerous avalanche on many steep slopes including road cuts, river banks, and wind-sheltered or treed terrain at lower elevations. Safe backcountry travel this weekend requires that you recognize and avoid slopes capable of producing a large avalanche.

Avoid traveling directly under steep slope cuts along the sides of trails and avoid traveling on steep, planar slopes with terrain traps such as a cliff or creek below you. Safer travel options exist by avoiding all slopes steeper than 30 degrees that are large enough to produce an avalanche large enough to bury you or any steep slopes with terrain traps below you.