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Leadville Visitor Center
If you love deep snow, bluebird skies, and zero lift lines, then March in Leadville and Twin Lakes are calling your name. While other Colorado ski towns are packed this time of year, this high-altitude haven stays refreshingly quiet—meaning more powder, more solitude, and more space to explore safely. Whether you’re carving fresh turns at Ski Cooper, venturing into the pristine backcountry, or enjoying a peaceful après-ski with no wait at the bar, this is your chance to experience winter without the chaos.
But with all that extra room comes extra responsibility—so before you head into the untouched snow, let’s talk backcountry safety tips.
The Colorado Tourism Office has put together an extensive Colorado Backcountry Winter Safety Toolkit to help you stay safe in the winter backcountry. Here’s a snapshot of the valuable information you’ll find in the toolkit:
Here you’ll find information on how to navigate avalanche terrain, where to check avalanche forecasts, backcountry education and training resources, safe transportation tips, and more.
Find winter outfitters in Leadville/Twin Lakes for tours and equipment rentals. You can also learn to ski and snowboard, Nordic ski, and snowshoe at Leadville-Twin Lakes.
Virtual, in-person, experienced or a newbie, this resource has it all.
Learn about avalanches and how to mitigate risk with these winter safety courses and resources:
Powder Pro Lab, located in Leadville, offer courses, clinics and safety equipment rentals.
Buena Vista Mountain Adventures offer courses and backcountry tours.
Basic Info
Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) Basic Avalanche Safety Info
Colorado Mountain School Free Avalanche Awareness Online
Avalanche Safety Courses
American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Avalanche Courses
Colorado Mountain Club Courses
Colorado Adventure Guides Avalanche Courses and Education
Courses in Colorado and Other States
American Avalanche Association-endorsed Trainers, by State
From snowshoeing and skinning to winter wildlife viewing, this is where you can find safety information according to your activity of choice.
Read up on how you can not only stay safe but also take care of Colorado while enjoying backcountry snow sports with Leave No Trace's Backcountry Snowsports guide.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is the statewide hub for assessing current avalanche conditions and all things avalanche safety. Never enter the backcountry without checking the CAIC forecast first!
COTREX is another great resource to view trails and CAIC's avalanche forecasts in the same place. Filter by backcountry activity to view Colorado snowmobile, Nordic ski and snowshoe trails.
No matter how experienced or prepared you are, accidents can still happen in the backcountry. Please consider donating to the Lake County Search & Rescue to ensure help is available when it's needed most.
Featured photo: @bvmountainadventures
Photo Below: @vntrbirds