Center warns of risky conditions

Snow that fell heavy and late and has been buffeted by heavy winds has created a considerable to high risk of avalanche in areas around Vail, Summit County and the Front Range, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. It warned backcountry skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers to take precautions before they hit the hills.

But Jason Konigsberg, the center’s Vail and Summit County forecaster, said the only way to stay safe when there are no obvious signs of hazardous conditions is to “avoid the place where the problem exists and avoid avalanche terrain.”

Sequential snowstorms or strong winds can deposit several layers of snow, some of which will become strong and compact, while others will grow weak and unable to bond.

Slab avalanches occur when a layer of snow is disturbed by some kind of trigger, breaks from the layer beneath it and slides downhill, often breaking hundreds of feet wide.

“We are starting to see them, and we are warning people about these deeper avalanches,” Konigsberg said. “The snowpack this year has been different than other years. Last year the snowpack was stable and there was a lot of snow in January, there was also no weak layer in the ground.”

If not careful, skiers can trigger very large and fatal avalanches even when there are no noticeable signs of danger.

On Sunday, a solo skier unintentionally triggered a soft-slab avalanche in an area known as the Fingers, just west of the summit of Berthoud Pass. He was carried to the bottom of the slide path, where he was assisted by a another person who also was skiing in the area.

There have been seven avalanche fatalities in the West so far this season, including one in Colorado. Abel Palmer, 27, of Durango, was buried in a skiertriggered slide in an area off of Red Mountain Pass near Silverton known as Sam’s Trees.

“Avalanches can occur in slopes of usually 30 degrees,” Konigsberg said. “This year we have very weak layers of snow that often happen during dry winters.”

The avalanche information center urges backcountry skiers to read forecasts, get avalanche education and wear the right gear to prevent accidents.

While terrain, weather and snowpack are significant contributing factors, humans are a leading cause of avalanche accidents, according to the website of outdoor retailer REI.