/ This avalanche near Colorado's Loveland Pass caught and killed a backcountry snowboarder who was riding alone on Feb. 14. The red circle indicates where the avalanche buried the rider. Dangerous conditions in the backcountry this winter highlight a potential cause that scientists continue to study: the connection between avalanches and the climate crisis. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center counts at least 33 avalanche deaths across the country so far this season. That number eclipses the 23 fatalities for the entire winter the year before – and several years prior. The link between the climate crisis and avalanches is unclear. Still, snow scientists like Jordy Hendrikx, director of Montana State University’s Snow and Avalanche Lab, say weather events this winter are consistent with climate change models.