Colorado Avalanche Forecasters Expand Free Backcountry Information Tools

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) has expanded its trove of free avalanche information tools, aiming to make it easier for the public to understand current snow conditions

The updates, now available on CAIC’s website, include a new map-based Weather Station Map display, expanded Avalanche Accident Data Display, improved Media Gallery, and upgrades to public Field Reports. 

“We want people traveling in the backcountry to have the best information possible,” said Ethan Greene, director of the CAIC, in a news release. “These tools improve access to trustworthy data and help people understand current conditions before heading out into the mountains.”

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The new Weather Station Map feature displays weather stations across Colorado. Users can click on specific stations to see readouts for temperature, snowfall, and wind speed—all meteorological factors that can affect avalanche danger. 

The CAIC’s Avalanche Accident Data display chronicles avalanche accidents in Colorado and across the U.S. New for this ski season, the avalanche center said it added and quality-checked historical Colorado records. This expanded the database to include fatal avalanche accidents dating back to 1997 and non-fatal accidents dating back to 2011.

Another tweak to Field Reports—a part of the CAIC website where backcountry users can submit what they see in the mountains—is aimed at improving usability. 

“Updates include more detailed location information showing both a general report area and the specific location of each avalanche, plus a mobile-friendly display for phones and tablets. The upload process is also smoother, with easier image posting and support for native video,” the CAIC noted in the release.

“The Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s forecasts are relied on by many winter recreationists across the state. These new data, reporting and visualization features will help people better understand conditions, make smarter choices, and ultimately protect lives,” said Dan Gibbs, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources in the release. 

“I congratulate the CAIC team on continuing to lead the nation in avalanche safety,” Gibbs continued. 

The CAIC continues to publish winter avalanche forecasts that distill raw weather and snow data into accessible bundles of information for skiers.

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