DENVER, COLORADO — As winter begins to take hold in Colorado’s high country, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is calling on the public to help strengthen its avalanche forecasts by submitting on-the-ground snow observations. With only a few reports received since the avalanche season began on October 1, CAIC has emphasized the critical role that citizen observations play in supporting accurate and timely avalanche risk assessments for the state’s 27,656 square miles of forecasted terrain.
Each winter, CAIC forecasters rely on a combination of public submissions, weather station data, and field assessments to create daily avalanche forecasts for backcountry users. Observations from skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and other mountain enthusiasts provide crucial real-time information on snow conditions that forecasters can’t always access directly.
“Public observations provide important data to inform our forecasts,” CAIC shared in a recent statement on social media. They added that reports from the public can cover a range of information, including sightings of avalanches, signs of snow instability (like cracking or “whumpfing” sounds), and notes on stable snow conditions.
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The process for submitting observations is straightforward. Users can report their findings through the free CAIC app or the CAIC website, where the online submission form allows contributors to provide information on location, route description, and specific observations like avalanche sightings or snow cracking. Additionally, users can upload photos, videos, and GPS tracks, which are especially useful for helping forecasters visualize conditions across remote areas.
Reports submitted to CAIC’s observation platform offer a layer of coverage that bolsters avalanche safety across Colorado’s mountainous regions, including areas with limited monitoring infrastructure. CAIC forecasters say that even brief reports on weather conditions—such as noticing strong winds that could redistribute snow or stable conditions that indicate lower avalanche risk—add valuable context to their forecast models.
The CAIC encourages all backcountry users to contribute whenever they can, reminding the public that a seemingly small observation can have a large impact on avalanche safety across Colorado. As early snowfall has already blanketed some areas, these reports will be essential in helping CAIC issue accurate forecasts as the season progresses.
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
For those interested in sharing their observations, reports can be submitted anonymously or publicly through CAIC’s app or website. Contributors can also specify if they’d prefer their report’s location to appear approximately, which CAIC accomplishes by assigning a randomly offset map point between two to seven miles from the original GPS location.
How to Submit an Observation
To submit an observation, users can visit CAIC’s website or download the CAIC app. Information that can be shared includes:
- Avalanche sightings – Any observations of avalanches, whether natural or human-triggered.
- Weather details – Details such as snow accumulation, wind moving snow, or sunny periods that affect snowpack.
- Snow instability signs – Cracking, collapsing, and other signs that indicate the snowpack might be prone to avalanches.
- Snow stability notes – Observations on stable conditions, indicating lower avalanche risk.
Learn more about avalanche safety in Colorado with our Beginner’s Guide here.
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