# Avalanche Danger High!



## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

Read about it here:

Snows bring early avalanche danger to Colorado backcountry - The Denver Post


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

eh...i would would call it more like "considerable" if you want the most up to date avalanche conditions go directly to the CAIC Statewide Backcountry Avalanche Forecast - CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center
not the Denver Post (even if they did quote Ethan Greene).


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

The only thing that slid under the fallen logs yesterday was me!


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

How'd the "new " sled pan out Bob? Did you find somewhere to tear up on the front range?


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

I thought the mountains didn't get that much snow out of that last storm. 

But, with the upcoming hot weather, there will be a nice slide surface on top of the current snow. Watch out for later in the season!


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## caseybailey (Mar 11, 2008)

11/1/09 Monarch Snowcat skiing area slide. 2' crown. 100' wide. Natural release. 35 degree slope. Numerous anchors (trees, rocks). Slid to bed surface.


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

basil said:


> I thought the mountains didn't get that much snow out of that last storm.
> 
> But, with the upcoming hot weather, there will be a nice slide surface on top of the current snow. Watch out for later in the season!


There is another problem - a relatively big early season storm on relatively warm ground can make an instable layer at the base of the snowpack. Then even if there is low risk accumulation of future layers the entire snowpack can slide from the ground.


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

19-Year-Old Survives Avalanche Near Copper Mountain - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

It sounds like we're setting up for the typical Colorado avalanche-prone winter. Early snow on warm ground followed by our Indian Summer of beautiful warm, clear days with cold nights through November. This temperature gradient through the snowpack produces a layer that's very weak at the ground surface and that acts like a sheet of ball bearings down there. This snow may not settle and consolidate before March and could give us a high-fatality winter if folks go out thinking they can ski terrain just like the guys they saw in those early season ski movies. 

Be safe out there,

-AH


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## randomnature (Jun 10, 2007)

Could not have said it better Andy.


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

A bunch of people who post here have been killed kayaking. I wonder how many have been killed in avalanches.


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## caseybailey (Mar 11, 2008)

basil said:


> A bunch of people who post here have been killed kayaking. I wonder how many have been killed in avalanches.


If they've already been killed, how do they post? Is this some sort of a Halloween joke?


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

caseybailey said:


> If they've already been killed, how do they post? Is this some sort of a Halloween joke?


I'm guessing Basil forget to add an 'ed' to 'post,' probably should have been 'posted.'

Rest in peace to our friends who don't get to post here anymore.


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