Reading and Reflecting upon Accident Statistics is one way to improve our own Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain. As January ends, here are some sobering numbers to consider:

2019-20 Colorado Season to Date:

2 Colorado fatalities- one in Dec. and one in January

3 skiers caught- 2 buried, one killed

3 snowboarders caught- 1 buried

3 climbers/snowshoer/hikers caught- 1 buried, 1 killed

No Colorado snowmobile incidents to date

Over 350 human-triggered slides reported to the CAIC in January

2019-20 US Season to Date:

13 avalanche deaths in the US

11 of those fatalities were in January

1/11-1/23    6 fatalities in less than two-week period

1/17-1/18    3 fatalities over MLK holiday weekend

2 Deadly In-bounds slides:

Silver Mountain in  Idaho-Multiple skiers caught, 2 partially buried, 5 buried, 3 killed.

Alpine Meadows in California- 2 inbounds skiers caught, 1 injured, 1 killed

2  Uncommon/In-frequent incidents resulting in fatalities:

1/18 Climber killed north of Red Mountain Pass

1/23 Resident killed in roofalanche

2009-10 Season thru January 2020:

Over the last 10 winters (2009-2019), an average of 27 people have died in avalanches

Since 09-10 season, 115 backcountry/sidecountry riders, 25 climbers, 8 snowshoer/ hikers, 11 inbounds skiers & 85 snowmobilers have been killed by avalanches in the US

1950-51 Season thru January 2020:

Since record keeping began in the US in the 1950s, there have been 1,122 avy deaths

To date, we’ve recorded the following number of fatalities in each state-

(the dreaded top 10 deadliest states for avalanche fatalities list…)

289 CO/ 158 AK/ 131 WA/ 122 UT/ 121 MT/ 90 WY/ 82 ID/ 67 CA/ 19 OR/ 16 NH

Related January 2020 Media:

OutThere Colorado- A Deadly January- Magazine Article

Video of Farmington Canyon Accident- Utah Avalanche Center