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Huge Avalanche Concerns In The High Country

AVON, Colo. (CBS4) - Snow and wind are causing huge avalanche concerns in the high country.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on all steep slopes on Monday. That's prompted avalanche mitigation work along Interstate 70.

Glenwood Canyon Avalanche 3 (from Russell Brown)
An avalanche in Glenwood Canyon (credit: Russell Brown)

Crews were in the area of Berthoud Pass and there was avalanche mitigation work around the Eisenhower Tunnel. That was an area that saw avalanche mitigation work Sunday because the snow and the wind moving the snow around.

There are some 250 known avalanche paths that the Colorado Department of Transportation monitors. On Berthoud Pass there were two massive avalanches that slid overnight and the CAIC said it's one of the reasons there's an avalanche warning in effect.

"The last couple weeks we've been hit hard with the snow, our crews are tired. We've been out blasting avalanches," said Jack Stieber, CDOT equipment manager.

"Right now we've had enough snow and enough recent loading to put us in high danger. We have a five scale rating from low to extreme. Right now we're at Level 4," Brian Lazar with CAIC said.

One avalanche on Berthoud Pass occurred around 3 a.m. Monday. It was 10 feet deep and 600 feet wide.

LINK: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

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