CAIC and CPW Support Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) are highlighting International Snowmobile Ride Day on Feb. 14, 2026, and Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week, Feb. 7–16, 2026, as a reminder that sharing the sport also means sharing the responsibility to ride safely.

As snowmobiling participation grows, CAIC and CPW are committed to supporting riders with clear, reliable safety information to help reduce risk and support informed decision-making in the mountains.

In Colorado, snowmobilers account for approximately 22% of avalanche fatalities over the past decade (2016–2025), while nationally that number is closer to 33%.

“Snowmobiling is a great way to experience Colorado’s backcountry, and many riders are introducing friends to the sport this winter,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene. "Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week is a good opportunity to introduce new riders to avalanche awareness, as many popular riding areas include avalanche-prone terrain. Every time you head into the backcountry, check the avalanche forecast, avoid the most dangerous slopes, and carry avalanche rescue equipment.”

Snowmobiles operated on public land, state parks or trails in Colorado must be registered with CPW, and registration fees are used to fund trail grooming, maintenance and construction across Colorado.

“CPW is incredibly grateful to the snowmobile community whose registration fees directly support winter trail maintenance in Colorado,” said CPW’s Assistant Director for Outdoor Recreation and Lands Fletcher Jacobs. “Combined with the tireless efforts of local snowmobile clubs and volunteers who groom and maintain these routes, this partnership helps improve rider safety and sustain the future of snowmobiling in our state.”

To support trip planning and safety, snowmobilers can access real-time avalanche forecasts and warnings through the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app, which integrates CAIC avalanche information directly into route planning. More than 40 agency partners use COTREX to post real-time advisories, including trail closures, safety hazards and other essential alerts. Users can plan routes, view allowed use types such as snowmobiling, download offline maps, and see trip recommendations from participating partners across the state.

For the 2025–26 season, CAIC partnered with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) to launch Avalanche Aware eLearning, a free online course that provides an introduction to avalanche awareness before riders head into the backcountry. The course includes a snowmobiling-specific module and is available at avalanche.state.co.us/avalanche-aware.

CAIC also works directly with the snowmobiling community to promote avalanche awareness and education. During Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week, CAIC will attend the Colorado Snowmobile Association (CSA) Convention, Feb. 6–8 in Pitkin, to talk with attendees about current conditions and backcountry safety.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is a state agency within the Department of Natural Resources that is dedicated to public avalanche safety across Colorado. Since 1950, avalanches have killed more people in Colorado than any other natural hazard. Our mission is to provide avalanche information, education and promote research for the protection of life, property and the enhancement of the state’s economy. CAIC supports this mission by providing avalanche safety resources statewide, issuing daily avalanche forecasts during the season for around 28,000 square miles of Colorado’s backcountry terrain, and participating in avalanche research projects to advance snow science.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

Safety Tips for Snowmobilers

• Check CAIC Avalanche Forecast at colorado.gov/avalanche and plan routes accordingly.

• Be ready to change plans if you see signs of higher avalanche danger including recent avalanches, cracking in the snow and audible collapsing. Avoid traveling on or under similar slopes.

• Make sure everyone in your group is wearing an avalanche transceiver (beacon), carrying a probe and shovel on their person, and knows how to use them.

• Travel one at a time in avalanche terrain and avoid stopping in runout zones.

• Whether boondocking, high-marking, or riding meadows, enjoy the mountains and make choices that get everyone home safely.

Snowmobilers are encouraged to submit a field report at colorado.gov/avalanche or through CAIC’s mobile app. Even observations without avalanches help forecasters provide better information for all backcountry users.