COLORADO – A Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) forecaster captured a striking photo of a mountain goat during a backcountry tour this week, highlighting the untamed beauty of Colorado’s wilderness. The image serves as a vivid reminder of the surprises awaiting in the state’s backcountry regions. While the forecaster observed no avalanches during the outing, CAIC noted it has documented 36 animal-triggered avalanches in the past 13 seasons. Although the center primarily focuses on avalanches’ impact on humans, it recognizes the significant ecological role these natural events play. CAIC shared insights into this aspect through a brief paper on avalanche ecology, emphasizing the complex interactions within these wild landscapes.
#WildlifeWednesday Who doesn’t love seeing wildlife in the backcountry? Last week, one of our forecasters stumbled upon this mountain goat doing his thing. While he didn’t see any avalanches that day, CAIC has records of 36 animal-triggered avalanches over the past 13 seasons. While our focus is on avalanche’s effect on people, they play an important ecological role. Here’s a short paper on avalanche ecology: https://ow.ly/Aim950QBjN0