Avalanche watch issued for Steamboat zone
January 4, 2017
Steamboat Powdercats guide Bill Howard stands at the margin of the Jan. 11 Bitch Creek Avalanche (skier's right), providing scale to the size of the crown that broke on a persistent deep slab sitting on a weaker layer. No one was caught in the slide, although the slope had been skied earlier in the day.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has issued an avalanche watch for the Steamboat Springs area until noon Thursday.
The watch is also in effect for the Front Range, Vail/Summit, Aspen and North and South San Juan zones. There is an avalanche warning for the Gunnison zone.
According to CAIC, significant snowfall and strong winds have increased the backcountry avalanche danger. CAIC predicted avalanche conditions would become very dangerous Wednesday night through Thursday.
Travel in or below avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Joel Gratz with opensnow.com was calling for snow accumulations of between 15 and 25 inches. Snow was expected to continue Thursday.
