Avalanche forecast

Vail & Summit County

Colorado Avalanche Information Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

Avalanche Summary

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect. Feet of recent snow and strong winds have formed thick cohesive slabs above an unusually shallow and weak snowpack. Avalanche conditions will remain dangerous through the weekend. Careful planning and conservative terrain selection is essential for safe travel in backcountry avalanche terrain.

You can easily trigger slides in areas of wind-drifted snow. The larger concern is that these slides are likely to step down into deeper, weaker layers. Slides will grow large enough to bury a person. You can trigger a slide from below or at a distance, and you may not get any warning signs.

Clear, sunny skies may cause some sluffing, which could have enough mass to knock you over on steep, rocky south-facing terrain,

You can find safer travel on slopes that have not been drifted by the wind and on slopes less than about 30 degrees that are not connected to steeper terrain.

Regions covered