Snow reports
Colorado Ski Country USA's snow report covers the independent and Alterra mountains on our list in one table: Arapahoe Basin, Copper, Echo, Eldora, Loveland Ski Area, and Winter Park, with 24 and 48 hour snowfall, mid-mountain depth, and open lifts. Keystone, Breckenridge, and Vail are not members; their reports live on snow.com, which loads in a browser though it would not load for our checker.
For the forecast, the National Weather Service's Denver/Boulder office covers every resort on our list. Its avalanche weather page carries storm-total snowfall and points to the avalanche center below for the danger rating.
Avalanche forecast
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center publishes the backcountry forecast, the danger map, and point forecasts. Our gear is rented for in-bounds resort riding; if you are heading out of bounds anyway, the CAIC forecast is the first thing to read and the last thing to argue with. We link to it rather than reproduce it, because CAIC's terms of use say so and because a forecast copied onto a shop website is a forecast that is out of date.
The road
Live conditions, cameras, and closures are on COtrip.org and the COtrip Planner app, or by dialling 511; CDOT's own I-70 mountain corridor page explains what is there and calls the corridor, in its words, a challenging drive.
The traction law
CDOT's November 2025 release says the passenger vehicle traction law is in effect September 1 through May 31 on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison, and that CDOT can call it on any state highway when a storm requires. Under it, your tires need at least 3/16 inch of tread and must be winter tires (the mountain-snowflake symbol), all-weather rated, or marked M+S; otherwise you need chains or an approved alternative traction device on two or more drive tires. The release frames the updated law as applying to every vehicle regardless of drivetrain.
During severe storms CDOT escalates to the passenger vehicle chain law, under which every vehicle must carry chains or an approved device (AutoSock is on CDOT's list).
On fines, CDOT's two pages disagree with each other: the traction-law page gives a $100 fine plus a $33 surcharge, and $500 plus $157 if you block the road; the November 2025 release gives $50 plus $17. Both are linked below. The October 2025 "must carry" chain law is for commercial vehicles only and does not apply to your car.
Practically: if your car has all-season tires with worn tread, it is not legal on I-70 in winter, storm or no storm. Check the sidewall for M+S or the snowflake before you book, not at Georgetown.
The code, and the law behind it
Every Colorado resort publishes the National Ski Areas Association's Your Responsibility Code (2022, ten points). The short form:
- Always stay in control. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.
- People ahead or downhill of you have the right-of-way. You must avoid them.
- Stop only where you are visible from above and do not restrict traffic.
- Look uphill and avoid others before starting downhill or entering a trail.
- You must prevent runaway equipment.
- Read and obey all signs, warnings, and hazard markings.
- Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
- You must know how and be able to load, ride and unload lifts safely. If you need assistance, ask the lift attendant.
- Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- If you are involved in a collision or incident, share your contact information with each other and a ski area employee.
Behind the code sits the Colorado Ski Safety Act, C.R.S. 33-44-101 to 114, which defines a skier to include anyone on a snowboard (33-44-103(8)) and sets the duties: ride within your ability, control your speed and course with the downhill rider having the right of way, stay off closed runs, and, the one that matters to a rental shop, keep every ski or snowboard "equipped with a strap or other device capable of stopping the ski or snowboard should the ski or snowboard become unattached from the skier" (33-44-109(6)). Our boards carry one. Riding closed terrain, riding impaired, or leaving a collision without giving your name is a petty offence with a fine of up to $1,000 (33-44-109(12)).