Accident Help

At CAIC, our mission is to provide information and education that helps people stay safe from avalanches. To support this, we collect data on avalanche accidents to help others learn from these events and avoid similar situations in the future. The new platform allows users to access all reported accidents, not just the fatal ones, making it easier for the community to learn from every shared accident.

The Colorado Avalanche Accident table includes all avalanche incidents reported to CAIC from the 2019-2020 season to the current year. An avalanche accident is defined as any instance where a person comes into contact with moving avalanche debris. This includes cases where individuals are caught, carried, and/or buried—whether fully or partially—regardless of whether they are unharmed, injured, or killed. CAIC staff write reports on all fatal accidents in Colorado, as well as some non-fatal ones. The records consist of reports written by CAIC staff and submissions from the public.

Our goal in sharing this information is to provide the recreational community with a deeper understanding of the factors that may have influenced each outcome. Learning from these reports can help prevent future close calls. We recognize that sharing incident details can be challenging, as it requires acknowledging mistakes and facing possible criticism. However, this openness is essential for collective learning within our community. Anyone can share their experience publicly and remain anonymous or share information privately with CAIC. The summary counts reflect all the data we have even if there’s not an accompanying public report. No matter how information is shared, CAIC uses this valuable information to inform our public forecasts.  We encourage respectful feedback to foster a supportive environment. Mistakes happen to all of us—let’s learn together and keep each other safe.

Definitions

An avalanche year is a 12-month period that runs from October 1 of one year to September 30 of the following year. The avalanche year is named after the calendar year in which it ends. For example, the avalanche year that ends on September 30, 2010 is called the 2010 avalanche year. 

Accident Tables:

  • Date: Accident date
  • Location: Brief description of avalanche location
  • Total caught: Number of people in the party who were touched and adversely affected by moving snow (People performing intentional slope cuts are not considered caught unless they are carried down the slope)
  • Caught - not buried: Number of people caught but not buried by snow 
  • Caught and buried: Number of people caught and partially or fully buried 
  • Injured: Number of people who required medical care
  • Killed: Number of people killed
  • Description: Number of people involved, travel mode, and degree of severity

These definitions come from: Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Guidelines (SWAG). 4th ed. 2022. American Avalanche Association.

Categories:

  • Backcountry Skiers and Snowboarders: People who ski or snowboard in the backcountry
  • Sidecountry Skiers and Snowboarders: People who ascend using ski lifts and descend outside the ski area boundary
  • Inbounds Skiers and Snowboarders: People who ski or snowboard within an operating ski area
  • Backcountry Motorized Users: People who ride snowmobiles or motorized snowbikes in the backcountry
  • Climbers: People who ice climb, mountaineer, or engage in alpine climbs
  • Hikers: People who travel on foot or using snowshoes
  • Motorists: People who travel in motorized vehicles along road or rail corridors.
  • Hunters: People who engage in hunting activities
  • Hybrid Tourers: People who use a combination of motorized vehicles for travel and ascent and skis or snowboards for descent
  • Workers: People who are working, including ski patrollers, guides, rangers, rescuers, or others in a professional capacity
  • Residents: People affected by avalanches within residential zones, including those who may be exposed to avalanches while walking to or from their homes, moving within residential areas, or impacted by roof avalanches
  • Guided Clients: People who use mechanized or human-powered guided services