Avalanches were visible from the windows of this EcoFlight plane as it flew nearby popular Roaring Fork Valley backcountry zones on Tuesday, March 25.
Colin Suszynski/The Aspen Times
Backcountry enthusiasts can win prizes for submitting avalanche observations to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
The Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center has launched an “observation challenge,” according to a news release from the nonprofit. The challenge encourages backcountry users to submit avalanche, snowpack and weather observations to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, a state program.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecasters publish daily avalanche reports that cover approximately 28,000 square miles from November through May, the release states. However, forecasters can only cover a portion of that terrain each day and rely on public observations to help inform forecasts.
Backcountry travelers can submit observations related to avalanche activity, cracking or collapsing of the snowpack, snowpack structure and conditions, snowfall, skiing and riding conditions at Avalanche.State.co.us/observations/observation-report.
Each month for the rest of the season, one person who submits an observation will be selected to win gear and prizes from Weston Backcountry and other outdoor brands, the release states. One grand prize winner at the end of the season will receive their choice of a pair of skis, a splitboard or a snowboard from Weston Backcountry, according to Friends of the CAIC.
For more information visit Support.FriendsOfCAIC.org/pages/observations.