Safety tips: What conditions trigger avalanches?

Each year avalanches kill more than 150 people worldwide. Across a swath of the Rockies, March and April are the snowiest months of the year, and the skiers know it! Recent large temperature swings could trigger avalanches.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Colorado has the most deaths due to avalanches. From the 1950-1951 season through the 2024 season, avalanches have taken the lives of 325 people in Colorado. The deadliest season in recent history was the 2020-2021 season, which claimed 12 fatalities.

There could be “weaker” snow, especially with a warmer-than-usual fall and early winter. There were times, like in 2020 and 2021, when there was snow across the Rockies in the fall, but not much. This was followed by a prolonged drought and warm temperatures, which caused a very weak layer of snow.

During the dry period, warmer temperatures and rain destabilized the snow. Wind also plays a massive factor in transferring snow to weak areas. When large amounts of snow follow this, the risk of the bottom layer weakening and the threat of avalanches grows.