Alta, Utah<\/a>, triggered multiple wet-snow slides that ran over a cliff and reached a service road, according to an observation submitted to the Utah Avalanche Center.<\/p>\nAs of November 6, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) recorded nearly 100 avalanches statewide, including 15 triggered by skiers, Brian Lazar, CAIC deputy director, told Outside.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cThat amount of avalanches at this time of year is not that unusual,\u201d Lazar said. \u201cWe\u2019re in avalanche season, even though the snowpack is still developing, and it\u2019s important to acknowledge that, even when there\u2019s a lot of dry ground showing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early-Season Avalanches Are Already Catching Skiers<\/h2>\n
Hinchliffe said heavy early snowfall has made the San Juan Mountains an especially popular destination for early-season skiers.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people in the mountains means a lot of decisions are being made, and some of them can go wrong,\u201d Hinchliffe told\u00a0Outside. \u201cThat\u2019s kind of what we saw.\u201d<\/p>\n
The weather has also contributed to unstable snow conditions across Colorado, Lazar said. Two recent warm, particularly wet storms brought rain to elevations above 12,000 feet in parts of southwestern Colorado, triggering wet avalanches. Between storms, dry periods allowed weak layers of snow to develop on the snow surface, which fresh snowfall later buried.<\/p>\n
Why Early-Season Snow Can Be Dangerous<\/h2>\n
Lazar warned that early-season avalanches can be dangerous even when they\u2019re relatively small, particularly with so little snow covering the terrain.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if you get knocked off your feet and take a short ride in a small avalanche, it might not be big enough to bury or kill you, but it can drag you across rocks, logs, stumps, and things like that,\u201d Lazar said. \u201cEarly-season conditions can produce some really nasty rides, even in small avalanches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shallow snow can also lead skiers into more dangerous terrain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re going out looking to ride on snow, you are naturally drawn to the places with the best coverage, and those are the same places that often have the most dangerous avalanche conditions,\u201d Lazar said.<\/p>\n
Before heading out, Lazar recommends checking the local avalanche forecast<\/a>, carrying a transceiver, shovel, and probe, and traveling with partners who know how to use them. He also emphasized the importance of avalanche education and regular rescue practice.<\/p>\nHinchliffe said he and his touring partner had deliberately agreed to take a conservative approach that morning, sticking to mellower terrain rather than testing steeper slopes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, I\u2019ve got the whole season laid out in front of me,\u201d he said. \u201d So when I ski in the early season, I try to be very cautious with my choices.\u201d<\/p>\n
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