A one-of-a-kind place for avalanche preparedness in Colorado has opened for the season.

The U.S. Forest Service calls it a “beacon training park,” a snow-covered slope at the Mountain Meadow trailhead by the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger Station in Minturn. That’s along U.S. 24, about a quarter-mile from the Interstate 70 exit to town.

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The park opened in 2020 – the start of what would be a grim winter in Colorado’s backcountry. Twelve perished in the snow. Six deaths were recorded last season.

“The need for winter backcountry safety education is higher than ever,” Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis said in a previous news release. “Avalanche transceivers are key to finding avalanche victims as soon as possible, but they are only effective if people know how to use them.”

Developed with the help of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the park consists of eight buried transmitters that can be turned on and off from a control panel. The idea, according to a news release, is to “allow for multiple search scenarios to familiarize people with using their avalanche beacons and probing snow for victims.”

While critical in the case of a slide, the release reminded: “Avoiding avalanches in the first place is the best strategy.” Skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers, snowmobilers and anyone traveling in the backcountry should check forecasts at avalanche.state.co.us.

The park is free and open daily. Visitors should bring beacon, probe and shovel.

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