Avalanche Warning December 23 2017

Summary
Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended Saturday. Heavy snowfall and strong west winds will create very dangerous avalanche conditions in the Front Range backcountry. Wind and snowfall rates will peak during the afternoon hours, with avalanche conditions growing more dangerous throughout the day. Natural and human-triggered avalanches breaking several feet deep are likely. Smaller avalanches in the new storm snow could step down to weak layers near the ground. Avalanches in storm snow will be very hazardous. Avalanches breaking at the ground will be hard to survive. Avoid traveling on or below any slope steeper than about 30 degrees.
avalanche.state.co.us/forecasts/backcoun...alanche/front-range/



Avalanche Warning

COZ004-013-031-033-034-241445-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
AVALANCHE WARNING
COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
642 AM MST SAT DEC 23 2017

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE
COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER.

AVALANCHE WARNING IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
OF COLORADO...INCLUDING THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS...PARK RANGE AND
FLAT TOPS...ISSUED BY THE COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER.

A POTENT WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT COLORADO ON SATURDAY WITH STRONG
WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW. AVALANCHE CONDITIONS WILL BECOME VERY
DANGEROUS BY SATURDAY MORNING.

TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED DURING THE WARNING
PERIOD.

* TIMING...BEGAN AT 06:00 AM ON 12/23/2017...EXPIRES AT 7:00 AM MST
ON 12/24/2017.

* AFFECTED AREAS...THIS WARNING INCLUDES...THE PARK RANGE WEST OF
THE DIVIDE...PARK RANGE EAST OF THE DIVIDE...ELK HEAD
MOUNTAINS...RABBIT EARS PASS...FLAT TOP MOUNTAINS...MEDICINE BOW
MOUNTAINS...NEVER SUMMER MOUNTAINS...INDIAN PEAKS...FRONT RANGE.

* AVALANCHE DANGER...WILL BE HIGH (LEVEL 4) AT MULTIPLE ELEVATION
BANDS. AVALANCHES CAN RUN LONG DISTANCES...NATURAL AND HUMAN-
TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY DURING THE WARNING PERIOD.

* REASON...A STRONG WINTER STORM AND VERY STRONG WINDS ADDED A LARGE
AMOUNT OF SNOW OVER WEAK LAYERS IN THE SNOWPACK.

* PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...AVALANCHE CONDITIONS REMAIN
VERY DANGEROUS. HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE VERY LIKELY.
BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

CONSULT WWW.COLORADO.GOV/AVALANCHE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION.