Just in time for winter backcountry travel, Colorado’s official trail exploration mobile app, Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX), has launched its new avalanche forecasts and warnings feature. In a collaborative effort between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC), the feature offers real-time avalanche information to enhance safety for outdoor enthusiasts.
“For CAIC, providing the public with timely information is key to helping people avoid avalanches and stay safe in the backcountry,” Director Ethan Greene shared in a recent press release. “By adding avalanche forecasts and alerts to the COTREX app, we’re making it easier than ever for people to access essential safety information right from their phones. This collaboration will empower people to make informed decisions and enjoy Colorado’s mountains safely.”
CAIC forecasting experts generate all of COTREX’s avalanche data, which includes the standard danger rating for below, at and above treeline, active avalanche warnings, watches and special alerts. To access this quick-glance information, users simply click a designated trail or geographical area. More in-depth avalanche details can be accessed via a direct link to CAIC’s website.
“The feedback has been very, very positive,” said Colorado Snowmobile Association (CSA) Executive Director Scott Jones. “This is the first year we’ve had winter information on COTREX. We push everyone we can to this app for summer and winter recreation. We’re trying to give everybody the best and most relevant information we possibly can.”
Sourcing its data from 236 Colorado land managers and over 40 participating agency partners, such as CSA, COTREX is the only verified trail navigation app. The app has over 50,000 miles of official trails and offers data such as trail closures, safety hazards, wildfire zones, snow conditions, private land and more. Additionally, unlike other navigation apps, COTREX is completely free of charge, does not have any ads and does not require an account unless users want to save their route or record. With COTREX, users can reduce the risk of fines, study trip recommendations, pre-plan their routes and download offline maps to support a smoother day in the backcountry.
According to Jones, who has been working on the app alongside CPW for over five years, COTREX is more accurate and current than other navigation tools like Gaia GPS or AllTrails, which often require a subscription and can contain unverified, user submitted routes. Ideally, Jones said, he would like to see COTREX become the leading navigation tool for outdoor enthusiasts.
“COTREX has all the information in one place. It has moto trails, mountain bike trails, horse trails, hiking trails, and we’re working on getting a designated camping feature,” said Jones. “We really want this to be that one-stop resource for the public that is always updated.”
COTREX’s latest avalanche update comes amid a backcountry season already with significant avalanche activity. According to CAIC, early and heavy storm cycles coupled with weak layers have led to over 1,700 reported avalanches for the 2024-2025 season so far. Of those avalanches, 20 people were caught, eight were buried and one was injured. Sadly, the first death of the season was on Jan. 7 in the Red Mountain Pass area. Last season, CAIC reported over 5,600 avalanches resulting in 148 people caught, 59 buried, 13 injured and two lives were tragically lost.
While the app contains critical safety information, it is not intended to be a standalone source for backcountry travel. CPW and CAIC emphasize that users should always check the CAIC Avalanche Forecast Map, take an avalanche safety course, have the proper avalanche safety gear — a transceiver (beacon), shovel and probe — and know how to use it effectively.
“I hope this saves lives,” said Jones. “Hopefully we can educate people and build partnerships and really impact the whole recreational community with this type of resource.”
COTREX can be accessed online at trails.colorado.gov and is available for download on all smart devices.