Avalanche danger high across Colorado

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Winter storms and fragile snowpack have made for dangerous avalanche conditions across the state, with many being triggered over the last week.

Parts of the Grand Mesa are at a “considerable” danger level near the treeline Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the state avalanche information center website.

Avalanche forecasters say the dry spell, as far as snowfall goes, that happened mid-November created some fragile layers in the snowpack. The storms after Thanksgiving on top of that fragile layer, and another storm coming in to the northern mountains Monday morning mean an uptick in avalanche danger.

“There’s a good chunk in the northern mountains which is actually in an avalanche warning […] that means it’s really easy for people to trigger an avalanche that’s big enough to bury or kill a person. And some of those avalanches are going to run naturally or just spontaneously so in those places with the avalanche warning, travel on backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended just because it’s so dangerous,” said Brian Lazar with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Check out that map for more information and danger levels at avalanche.state.co.us.