DENVER, COLORADO – A major winter storm is set to bring heavy snowfall and high avalanche danger to Colorado’s central mountains, prompting a Winter Storm Warning and an Avalanche Watch through Friday night. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the National Weather Service (NWS) warn that worsening conditions could lead to large, dangerous avalanches and hazardous travel in the backcountry and along mountain roads.
Winter Storm to Deliver Up to 20 Inches of Snow, 55 mph Winds
The NWS Grand Junction has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Gore and Elk Mountains, Grand and Battlement Mesas, and West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, including Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Crested Butte, Taylor Park, and Marble. The storm is expected to drop 10 to 20 inches of snow from Wednesday evening through Friday night, accompanied by winds gusting up to 55 mph.
The storm’s impact will be severe, with:
- Blowing snow and reduced visibility in the mountains.
- Treacherous travel conditions on mountain roads, especially bridges and passes.
- Potential tree damage due to strong winds and heavy snow loading.
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
Avalanche Danger to Reach High (4 of 5) by Thursday
The CAIC Avalanche Watch remains in effect for the Grand Mesa, Ragged Mountains, Ruby Range, Flat Tops, Elkheads, Elk Mountains, and northern San Juan Mountains.
With strong southwest winds and intense snowfall, unstable wind slabs will rapidly develop on northwest through east to southeast-facing slopes. These slabs could fail naturally or be easily triggered by backcountry travelers, producing large avalanches that could break several feet deep and run long distances.
CAIC warns that avalanche conditions will worsen throughout the day Thursday and into the night, with travel in avalanche terrain above treeline strongly discouraged. By Thursday night, avalanche danger will be high at all elevations.
“This storm is bringing an atmospheric river into Colorado, and we’ve seen what happens when these hit—widespread large natural and human-triggered avalanches,” CAIC wrote in a facebook post. “There’s no reason to think this time will be any different. More snow = more avalanches.”
Backcountry and Travel Safety Recommendations
With both a Winter Storm Warning and Avalanche Watch in effect, those in the mountains should take extra precautions:
✅ Avoid avalanche terrain—steep slopes with more than 10 inches of new or wind-drifted snow.
✅ Stay out of avalanche runouts, where slides may reach lower elevations.
✅ Delay backcountry travel if possible—conditions will be highly unstable through Friday.
✅ Expect difficult driving conditions on mountain highways—consider alternate routes or postponing travel.
✅ Check avalanche and road conditions before heading out:
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
Bottom Line: Stay Cautious in the Mountains
With heavy snowfall, high winds, and increasing avalanche danger, the next 48 hours will bring hazardous conditions for both backcountry users and travelers in Colorado’s high country. The best way to stay safe is to stay informed, avoid risky terrain, and make smart decisions.
For updated avalanche conditions, visit colorado.gov/avalanche before heading into the backcountry.
RECENT MOUNTAIN NEWS
