- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Colorado Avalanche Center Offers Prizes for Backcountry Observations
Friends of CAIC launches program to encourage public reporting of snow conditions
Jan. 29, 2026 at 5:23pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) has launched an 'observation challenge' that will award prizes to backcountry users who submit avalanche, snowpack, and weather reports to the state agency. CAIC forecasters rely on public observations to help inform their daily avalanche reports covering 28,000 square miles of Colorado terrain.
Why it matters
Accurate and up-to-date information on snow conditions is critical for backcountry safety, as avalanches pose a serious risk to outdoor enthusiasts. By incentivizing the public to report their observations, the CAIC can improve the quality and coverage of its forecasts, helping to keep Colorado's backcountry users safer.
The details
Through the observation challenge, backcountry travelers can submit reports on avalanche activity, snowpack structure and conditions, snowfall, and skiing/riding conditions on the CAIC website. Each month, one observer will be selected to win gear and prizes from outdoor brands like Weston Backcountry. At the end of the season, one grand prize winner will receive their choice of a pair of skis, a splitboard, or a snowboard from Weston.
- The observation challenge will run for the remainder of the 2026-2027 winter season, from November through May.
The players
Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center
A nonprofit organization that supports the work of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, a state program that provides daily avalanche forecasts and education.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
A state agency that publishes daily avalanche reports covering approximately 28,000 square miles of Colorado terrain from November through May.
Weston Backcountry
An outdoor gear company that is providing the prizes for the CAIC observation challenge, including a pair of skis, a splitboard, and a snowboard as the grand prize.
What’s next
The CAIC will continue to monitor and analyze the public observations submitted through the challenge, using the data to improve the accuracy and coverage of its daily avalanche forecasts.
The takeaway
By incentivizing backcountry users to report on snow conditions, the CAIC's observation challenge is a proactive step to enhance public safety and strengthen the agency's ability to provide reliable avalanche forecasts for Colorado's outdoor enthusiasts.
