Multiple snowmobilers were caught in a large avalanche on Gravel Mountain in Grand County on Feb. 22, 2025.
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), over 500 avalanches have been recorded in Colorado in the past 10 days, resulting in 14 people being caught and two fatalities.
On Feb. 14, CAIC warned that February is typically the state’s deadliest month for avalanches due to improving snow conditions coinciding with heightened avalanche danger.
Since that warning, 517 avalanches have been recorded. Of those, 69 were considered “very large,” and two were fatal—killing a snowboarder near Silverton on Thursday and an outdoorsman near Berthoud Pass on Saturday.
CAIC urges backcountry travelers to check avalanche forecasts on its website before heading out and to carry essential safety gear, including an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe—while also knowing how to use them.