Ski Patrol officials at Steamboat Resort are warning skiers and riders to be aware of early season conditions, closures and signage following the “the largest avalanche slide in resort history” that occurred in a closed area near the Chutes likely on Nov. 27.

“This is the largest slab avalanche we have seen at Steamboat in almost two decades,” said Matt Hartsell, ski patroller and avalanche team leader, in a video posted on the resort’s Instagram page.

Hartsell said the avalanche report came into patrol last weekend, and then patrollers were able to view the slide area on Sunday, Dec. 1 that occurred skiers’ right of the Bar-UE lift.

“Early season or not, avalanches are a real danger,” according to the Instagram post. “For your safety and the safety of our team, please respect all trail closures and signs. We’re working hard to open more terrain for you, but we have to do so safely. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Hartsell said the large snow storm Nov. 25-27 stressed the snowpack causing the large avalanche in the area of Crow Track, The Ridge, Chute 1 and Chute 2. According to a report filed with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the slide is believed to be from a natural trigger that occurred in currently closed terrain. The avalanche’s wide crown estimated at 1,000 feet propagated into the lower angle terrain of Crow Track to the south and Chute 2 to the north.

“Do not enter closed terrain,” noted ski patroller Riley Wilkinson in the Instagram video. “This includes traveling uphill as well as Forest Service access gates. There are areas of our mountain that are not ready to be opened, so that is why it is so important that everybody respects the signage and closures placed by Ski Patrol. Not respecting closures puts both you and patrollers in danger and will result in the loss of skiing privileges.”

The avalanche notice has been picked up by websites such as Snowboarder magazine, Powder magazine, Yahoo and SnowBrains.

“Kudos to Steamboat for sharing this incident and using it as an educational moment for all of us,” according to SnowBrains.com.

During early ski season in 2022, a member of the Steamboat Resort avalanche mitigation team was caught and buried in a slide in a closed section of terrain on Dec. 6, highlighting how dangerous avalanche conditions can be. Other members of the avalanche team quickly located and dug out the ski patroller who was caught at the time.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center currently lists areas in Routt County as moderate for avalanche danger, or level two on the five-step low (1) to extreme (5) danger scale.

The center notes basic avalanche safety information applies to all snow-covered slopes because avalanches are possible on snow-covered slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.

“Watch for signs of unstable snow such as recent avalanches, cracking in the snow and audible collapsing,” according to the center’s website at Avalanche.state.co.us. “Avoid traveling on or under similar slopes. Most avalanches happen during or right after a snowstorm, but avalanches involving persistent weak layers can pose a threat even during prolonged periods of dry weather.”