The CAIC forecasts backcountry avalanche and mountain weather conditions for 10 Zones in the mountains of Colorado. You can find more details on the Zones here. The CAIC issues Backcountry Weather forecasts twice daily, at 6:00 am and 1:00 pm. The Weather forecasts are for conditions near treeline for the next 36 hours. The CAIC issues Avalanche Forecasts before 8:00 am daily. Forecasts may be updated later in the day if there is additional information. The CAIC emails forecasts to Supporters.
The CAIC has 4 offices that issue backcountry avalanche forecasts. The main office is in Boulder, co-located with the National Weather Service. Field offices are located in Breckenridge, Aspen, and Telluride. Staff at CAIC-Boulder forecast the weather and avalanche conditions for all zones. Field office forecasters concentrate on the snowpack and avalanche conditions within their zones.
| ZONE | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamboat | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou |
| Front Range | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou |
| Vail Summit | Bou | Bou | Bou | Brk | Brk | Brk | Brk |
| Sawatch | Bou | Bou | Bou | Brk | Brk | Brk | Brk |
| Aspen | Asp | Asp | Asp | Asp | Bou | Bou | Bou |
| Gunnison | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou |
| Grand Mesa | Asp | Asp | Asp | Asp | Bou | Bou | Bou |
| North San Juan | Tel | Tel | Bou | Bou | Bou | Tel | Tel |
| South San Juan | Tel | Tel | Bou | Bou | Bou | Tel | Tel |
| Sangre de Cristo | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou | Bou |
(Bou=Boulder Office, Brk=Breckenridge, Asp=Aspen, Tel=Telluride)
The CAIC updates recorded phone messages every morning by 09:00.
| ZONE | Phone Number | Hotline Location |
|---|---|---|
| Front Range | 303-275-5360 | Denver |
| Front Range | 970-498-5311 | Fort Collins |
| Vail Summit | 970-668-0600 | Breckenridge |
| Sawatch | 719-395-4994 | Buena Vista |
| Sawatch | 719-520-0020 | Colorado Springs |
| Aspen | 970-920-1664 | Aspen |
| North and South San Juan |
970-247-8187 | Durango |
