{"id":687,"date":"2008-10-24T11:47:12","date_gmt":"2008-10-24T17:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=687"},"modified":"2008-12-13T09:53:13","modified_gmt":"2008-12-13T15:53:13","slug":"avalanche-safety-be-prepared-or-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/colorado-weather\/avalanche-safety-be-prepared-or-die\/","title":{"rendered":"Avalanche safety – Be prepared or die"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Avalanches
Avalanches in Colorado claim an average of six lives per year. Be prepared!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As snow starts to fall, many Coloradoans and out of state visitors will take advantage of it and head to the mountains for a variety of outdoor activities.\u00a0 Whether skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking, anyone who spends time outdoors in the high country needs to be aware of the danger avalanches present.\u00a0 On average six people die in Colorado every year from avalanches and being prepared is an essential survival skill.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this fifth in a series on Winter Weather Preparedness<\/a> from the National Weather Service<\/a>, ThorntonWeather.com helps you understand avalanches, where they occur, how to protect yourself and where to go for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Part 1<\/td>\nWinter travel safety<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 2<\/td>\nWatches\u2026warnings\u2026and advisories<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 3<\/td>\nHigh winds<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 4<\/td>\nWind chill temperatures and hypothermia<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 5\u00a0<\/td>\nAvalanche safety<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Review\u00a0<\/td>\nWinter Weather Preparedness Week review<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
\nNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
\n600 AM MDT FRI OCT 24 2008<\/p>\n

Avalanches –\u00a0Are you prepared?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thousands of avalanches occur each winter in the mountains of Colorado.\u00a0 With the enormous popularity of winter sports in Colorado, this poses a risk to skiers, snowboarders, hikers and snowmobilers.\u00a0 On average 6 people die in avalanches in the state of Colorado every year.\u00a0 Anyone who travels into the high country in the winter should be prepared for avalanches and know how to avoid them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first thing to know is most avalanches occur during or just after snowstorms and most occur on a slope of 30 to 45 degrees. A significant snowfall may result in an unstable snowpack.\u00a0 By waiting 36 hours after a big snowstorm you may allow the snow to become more stable.\u00a0 If you stay in valleys away from avalanche chutes, in stands of dense trees, or on gentle slopes you can minimize your avalanche risk.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you are a skier or snowboarder at a commercial ski area there is little danger of avalanches.\u00a0 However respect their rules and do not stray out of bounds.\u00a0 Ski areas work to reduce the danger from avalanches within their bounded terrain, but out of bounds a serious avalanche risk may exist.\u00a0 Minimize your risk by staying in bounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you want to enjoy the great outdoors in areas prone to avalanches, you can minimize the danger by following a few simple rules:<\/p>\n