What You Need To Know About Avalanches In Colorado

Did you know that Colorado is the deadliest state in America for avalanches? The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reports our state averages around 2300 avalanches each season, with hundreds more going unreported.

Keep reading to learn more about the different types of Avalanches that can occur in Colorado, the danger scale, and areas that experience avalanches the most in the Centennial State.

Seven Types of Avalanches That Can Occur In Colorado

In the days following a heavy winter snowstorm parts of Colorado can experience significant avalanches in the backcountry and near our mountain highways. See the seven most common types of avalanches in the gallery below.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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Avalanches in Colorado

The Colorado Department of Transportation video above shows a slide that occurred at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 17th, 2025. According to the Colorado Avalance Information Center, the video captured the event in Ten Mile Canyon located between the city of Frisco and Copper Mountain. The risk of avalanches remains in portions of the I-70 mountain corridor.

Avalanche Prone Areas in Colorado

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According to AvalanceCenter.com, the 2023-2024 avalanche season resulted in 15 fatalities around the U.S. Two occurred here in Colorado. One in Waterfall Canyon near Ophir, and the other in the Anthracite Range. Both slides caused a fatality. Parts of Colorado where Avalanches are most common include:

The Gore Range
The Sawatch Range
The Elk Mountains
The Ruby Range
The Western Slope

Remember When: Avalanche Shuts Down Highway 14

Colorado Avalanche Danger Scale

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Avalanches are ranked D1 to D5 (Destructive Scale). While the smallest D1 might knock a person off their feet, a D2 could bury a person. A D3 could bury a car or level a small building. A D4 can destroy a large truck or railroad car and multiple buildings, while a D5 can destroy a village or large forest area.

LOOK: The 15 Deadliest Avalanches in Colorado History

Take a look at the snowslides that caused the largest number of fatalities in Colorado, many of which date back to the state's gold mining era.

MORE: Skier Films Himself Getting Caught in Avalanche in Jackson Hole

2023

Gallery Credit: Screenshot Courtesy of Owen Leeper

UP NEXT: 12 Ways Colorado Prepares For A Winter Storm

If you have ever had to wait out a winter storm in Colorado you know how difficult it can be if you are caught unprepared. Ice and snow can mean you are stuck in place until it melts, or at least until you can dig your way out. We ask you what things Colorado residents do to prepare for a winter storm.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

Source: What You Need To Know About Avalanches In Colorado

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