ASPEN, Colo.—Forecasters are expecting 1 to 2 feet of snow in Aspen, Crested Butte and Vail from a storm this weekend.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning through 6 a.m. Monday for the northwest Colorado mountains and said 2 to 3 feet of snow could fall over the mountains of western Jackson and Grand counties by Monday morning.
Rain may mix with the snow for elevations below 8,000 feet, forecasters said.
Near Aspen, a man hiking with six other people to a mountain hut got separated from the group in whiteout conditions Friday night but made it safely out of the wilderness. Everyone in the group was safely out of the wilderness Saturday.
Pitkin County sheriff’s Deputy Jesse Steindler said rescuers who headed to the area by snowmobile Saturday morning to check on the group’s safety encountered visibility that was down to several feet.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center listed the avalanche danger for the Aspen zone as considerable Saturday.
Among ski areas, Winter Park reported 11 new inches of snow Saturday, and Aspen Highlands and Copper Mountain reported 8.
Statewide snowpack was 112 percent of the average Saturday, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Snowpack in mountain ranges provide much of the state’s water supply for the year.
