Avalanche safety in Rocky’s backcountry
An AIARE level one course taught by the Colorado Mountain School at Hidden Valley. Photo by Barb Boyer Buck
By Barb Boyer Buck Piles of deep, fluffy snow in Rocky's backcountry are an invita on to shake off the winter doldrums and go play in the mountains. As we've described in other ar cles in this and last month's HIKE ROCKY, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding and ice ska ng are all possible in RMNP in winter and spring. There are op ons for everyone, at any ability or age. But this beau ful, pris ne wilderness contains a hidden danger: being caught in an avalanche. In recent weeks, there have been reports of injuries and deaths occurring as a result of avalanches in mountain states including Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Montana. In fact, this is the deadliest avalanche season in more than 100 years in the US, and we're only about half-way through the danger period. Last week in Rocky, a 21-year-old woman from Texas was seriously injured in an area above Emerald Lake - an area known for its high avalanche danger.
Large, hard slab avalanche from the Buffalo Pass area on February 9, 2021. The crown is approximately 10 feet deep with a bed surface near the ground. Photo from h ps://www.avalanche.state.co.us/
It is very, very important for everyone to understand how to mi gate this danger in Rocky's backcountry. Jason An n, guide and director of group experience for the Colorado Mountain School in Estes Park granted HIKE ROCKY an exclusive interview to discuss this issue. There are many types of avalanches, but the most dangerous ones for those recrea ng on the Front Range side of the Divide are called slab avalanches, An n explained.
Exclusive video: watch more of the interview with Jason An n of the Colorado Mountain School by clicking on the photo above.
