Vail & Summit County

An Avalanche Watch is in effect for the Gore Range. Very dangerous avalanche conditions develop by midday Saturday and continue through Sunday. Natural and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. You may see avalanches in low-elevation areas with continuous snow cover. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended during this time.

Though avalanche conditions start out generally safe on Friday, increasing snowfall and strong winds will cause the danger to rise rapidly through the day.

Watch for and avoid drifting snow on steep slopes near ridgelines and on the sides of gullies. Cracking in the new snow is a sign that you should move to terrain less than about 35 degrees.

The areas you may be able to trigger a deeper avalanche are shallow, uneven terrain features facing northerly or easterly directions. These terrain features include convex rollovers or uneven slopes with rock or vegetative disturbances. By avoiding the areas where you might still be able to affect deeply buried weak snow, you can reduce your chances of triggering a larger, more dangerous avalanche.