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Colorado Avalanche Mitigation Efforts reliance of Quality Geological Data

Avalanche planning & mitigation is an annual issue in Colorado, with an average around 2,500 avalanches a year. Most of the time these disasters occur as a result of the heavy snowfall that this state receives[i]. Weather patterns mixed with high elevation in the Rockies leave certain areas in Colorado with dangerous levels of precipitation. As a result of heavy snowfall, these areas are a current issue for Colorado’s Department of Transportation, ski resorts located in Colorado, and the citizens of Colorado. Aside from weather patterns, it is my goal to educate the reader on the tactics used by Colorado Department of Transportation & ski resorts to mitigate the devastating effects of avalanches with respect to the geological data that is resourceful in mitigating damages as a result of avalanches. An example of how safety is a priority throughout the dispersion of avalanche risk in Colorado can be seen by the quality and consistency of precipitation data and forecasting related to average snowfall rates.

What is an avalanche? An avalanche is the hazard composed of masses of snow, ice, and debris that flow rapidly down a steep slope.  Avalanches are defined in Colorado state statues as a geologic hazard. They are also the deadliest natural hazard that occurs in Colorado. When snowpack becomes unstable, it begins to rapidly descend downslope that can reach maximum speeds upward of 200mph, but they usually travel around 60-80mph. At 30- 40-degree slopes avalanches occur most frequently.[ii] There are three parts to an avalanche path. The starting zone, the track, and the runout zone. Relating to the frequency of these hazards, avalanche prone lands may pass a few winters before having a serious avalanche. In these avalanche prone areas there is an abundance of low shrubs and quick growing aspen pines throughout the avalanche track and the runout zone. Along their paths, it’s probabilistic to say that structures, trees, and buildings will be damaged.

There are typically three basic types of avalanches. Slab avalanches, wet avalanches, and powder avalanches. Powder avalanches are common avalanches and they typically occur with fresh snow. These avalanches can reach speeds exceeding 190mph and are usually very destructive.[iii] Slab avalanches are defined by windy areas where the chill from the wind is able to produce soft or hard slabs depending on numerous variables. There’s also a polarity to where soft slabs are made up of fresh snow and hard slabs form over time due to the action of wind. Wet avalanches occur as temperatures are increasing and snow is melting and retaining vast quantities of water. They are usually slow moving because of the weight, and very destructive because they destroy most of the vegetation in its wake. For a better reference of how much snow an avalanche can carry, a large avalanche in North America might release 230,000 cubic meters of snow which is the equivalent of 20 football fields.[iv]

Some things that trigger avalanches are specific sounds like sonic booms and people trekking through ski runs while participating in winter sports like skiing & snowboarding. Although most avalanches are triggered naturally, avalanches that are triggered by winter sports usually are caused by disturbing an area that is prone to sliding. These types of avalanches are often fatal and catch the person by surprise. Telluride, a ski resort in Colorado, has WWII cannons, 3D mapping, and a disciplined ski patrol to help combat the avalanches that happen on their premises[v]. Ski resort mitigation in these areas relies on having a staff on hand that stays up to date on protocols in order to ensure the safety of the customers.

I highly recommend following this link and watching this informative video that highlights the efforts of Baldface Lodge in Canada to realize the importance of knowing the risks of an avalanche and some of the extremities that professional snowboarders, such as Pat Moore, go through, in order to be prepared for the adverse conditions. (https://www.instagram.com/p/B5n-pV4nRID/?igshid=jfykues9kga1) If you watch this video, you will notice a few connections that can be made. Compared to Colorado, Canada has more prominent mountain ranges & geological features that cause an increased magnitude and frequency of this hazard type. It would make sense that Baldface Lodge has to have little room for error when trying to educate its customers about the natural hazards associate with the Selkirk mountains. A majority of their customers probably arrive through a consistent stream of Canadian locals, where as they probably have to invest a large percentage of their efforts in areas of their business, such as tourism,  in order to clearly eliminate any misconceptions that any customer might have about the dangers of certain backcountry terrain. Baldface and Telluride have a lot to tailor to in respect to and for their global customer base. Each ski hill has a different level of danger, and when avalanches are more apparent, to mitigate the downside risk there needs to be more information that is targeted to the customers (repeat or new) about avalanche safety. Weather patterns can help guide some of the media that these ski resorts put out in order to maintain a safe environment catered to the level of riskiness involved with the experience that you want to experience at their ski hills. It’s also key to note that the Canadian Government has to be able to emphasize the dangers of backcountry activities, especially in a place that takes pride and places preservation efforts as a first priority for it’s citizens, and anyone who wants to go and experience Canada’s beauty.  

Colorado has a program that is within the Colorado geological Survey that addresses the safety and science behind avalanches. This program is called the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, or CAIC. CAIC works to reduce the effect of avalanches on Colorado’s citizens and on Colorado’s economy through a program that mixes forecasting, safety education, and applied research. CAIC works closely with the Department of Transportation to reduce the impact of these hazards along Colorado’s highways, as well as issuing public weather and avalanche forecasts. People who are found trapped in an avalanche often die from suffocation, trauma, and hypothermia[vi]. Hopefully after reading my blog, you are more educated on the importance that geological data has on avalanche risk mitigation in Colorado. It’s also very important to sign up for alerts from the U.S. Forest Service Avalanche Center and to be cautious of the signs that an avalanche might occur if you are ever in Colorado.

GIS for avalanche studies and snow science has been happening all over the world. Specifically, in Colorado there’s an avalanche-path mapping of the San Juan Mountains along US Highway 550 that helps Colorado Department of transportation road maintenance workers.[vii] There are labeled slide paths mapped that help CODOT track avalanche activity and this helps facilitate cost analysis on the amount of explosives used, man hours, and equipment wear. GIS is proving to be one of the most important geological revolutionaries that is helping avalanche mitigation in Colorado. Resources like this are why Colorado continues to maintain their status as a leader in avalanche risk mitigation.

[i] Monroe, M. (2019, March 11). Colorado Avalanche Danger Continues. How to Stay Safe. Retrieved from https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/colorado-avalanche-danger-continues-how-to-stay-safe

[ii] Avalanches (Snow). (2017, July 11). Retrieved from http://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/geologic-hazards/avalanches-snow/

[iii] Kiprop, Joseph. (2018, September 21). How Many Types of Avalanches Are There? Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-types-of-avalanches-are-there.html

[iv] National Snow and Ice Data Center. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/snow/science/avalanches.html.

[v] Blevins, J. (2019, March 8). Telluride's avalanche-battling arsenal: WWII cannons, 3D mapping and discipline. Retrieved from https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/08/how-telluride-battles-avalanches/.  

[vi] Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.). Avalanche. Retrieved from https://www.ready.gov/avalanche.

[vii] Scott, D. (2009). Avalanche Mapping: GIS for Avalanche Mapping and Snow Science. The Avalanche Review, 27(3). Retrieved from http://www.avalanchemapping.org/IMAGES/AvalancheMappingArticle_TAR27.pdf

Video Source:

Person, and ProfilePage. “Pat Moore on Instagram: ‘Day One on Snow for Risk Maturity at @Baldfacelodge ".” Instagram, 3 Dec. 2019, https://www.instagram.com/p/B5n-pV4nRID/?igshid=jfykues9kga1.