Saturday’s massive avalanche on Loveland Pass that killed five men was a stark reminder that backcountry skiers and snowboarders are far from out of the woods of avalanche danger this season.
“Even though the calendar says it’s April, we’re seeing snow conditions like it’s February,” said Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, or CAIC. “Skiers need to be aware that the conditions aren’t normal for this time of year. We’re not done with this avalanche season yet.”
Greene, who lives in Fort Collins, said that an unstable snowpack, coupled with April’s unusually heavy snowfall, could be a recipe for several more large avalanches this season. Already, 11 people have been killed in avalanches during the 2012-13 snow season, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Avalanche danger higher than normal due to atypical April | The Coloradoan | coloradoan.com
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