Colorado is known for its world-class winter recreation, but every year avalanches take the lives of people exploring the backcountry.

That’s why Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center have teamed up to help spread avalanche awareness to those exploring the state’s popular trails and backcountry areas.

The two state entities announced in a news release Tuesday, Dec. 3, that the Colorado Trail Explorer, or COTREX, mobile app will now offer avalanche forecasts and warnings to those using the app to explore the state’s trails.

“We know avalanche conditions can change rapidly, so we want to do our part to share valuable safety information from reliable outdoor experts with our outdoor community,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife deputy director Heather Disney Dugan said in a statement.

Many of those who are caught in avalanches are skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers who know that slides are an inherent risk in the backcountry and have sought avalanche training to learn to manage that risk. But there are also cases where hikers, snowshoers and other recreationalists have unknowingly wandered into avalanche terrain without the proper gear or training.

For example, in Summit County in 2022, a large avalanche killed two snowshoers and their dog on Hoosier Pass. State avalanche officials later learned that the couple did not have avalanche training or gear.

“It is easy to imagine how the pair went out for a casual snowshoe with their dog and unknowingly hiked into avalanche terrain and a very dangerous situation,” the Colorado Avalanche Information Center wrote in a report on the Hoosier Pass avalanche deaths.

On average, 28 people die each year in the United States from suffocation, trauma or hypothermia caused by an avalanche, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A Colorado Avalanche Information Center study found that Colorado has had twice as many avalanche deaths compared to any other state since 1950.

During the 2023-24 season, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center recorded over 5,600 avalanches that resulted in 148 people being caught, 59 being buried, 13 being injured and two being killed.

“Providing the public with timely information is key to helping people avoid avalanches and stay safe in the backcountry,” Colorado Avalanche Information Center Director Ethan Greene said in a statement. “By adding avalanche forecasts and alerts to the COTREX app, we’re making it easier than ever for people to access essential safety information right from their phones.”

The COTREX app now puts the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s forecasts and warning front and center for users who are trying to find a trail to explore by displaying the forecast when a trailhead is clicked on.

Still, COTREX is not a standalone source of information for backcountry travel and avalanche information, according to the news release. Anyone heading out to hike, snowshoe or tour on Colorado trails this winter should check the avalanche forecast at Colorado.gov/avalanche and ensure they have the proper training and gear for the task at hand.