The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has received an influx of reports of avalanches as it warns that avalanche danger will remain elevated throughout the state through at least New Year’s Day.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center spokesperson Kelsy Been said Monday, Dec. 30, that it has had 180 avalanches reported in public field reports since Friday, Dec. 27. About half of those avalanches were naturally occurring while the other half were triggered by humans, Been said.

“What we’re most worried about is just the number of avalanches being reported that are triggered remotely,” Been said. “So people are triggering these avalanches, these large avalanches, from a distance, even from flat areas, triggering avalanches above them.”

Avalanche danger as of Monday morning was at considerable or high throughout much of the northern and central mountains, according to the avalanche forecast. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has avalanche warnings in effect for several mountain ranges including those in and around Grand County and popular backcountry spots like Berthoud Pass.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is recommending against traveling in avalanche terrain due to the heightened danger. For the latest avalanche forecast visit Colorado.gov/avalanche. 

“We’re worried as the weather gets nicer that more people will go out over New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day to enjoy the fresh snow,” Been said. “There’s a lot of places people can go that are safe, if they’re not in avalanche terrain.”