As a self-proclaimed "mountain man" and lover of all things mountains, I am terrified of avalanches. To think about a massive wall of snow and ice charging down the mountain at speeds that can reach 75-80 mph, ready to engulf you, snap giant trees like their little twigs, and everything around it is just something that I hope I never have to experience.

According to the CAC, the state of Colorado is approaching the most avalanche fatalities in the last 100 years. It's crazy to think how a simple small slide of snow can turn into something so massive, dangerous, and deadly.

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If you're heading into the backcountry to ski, snowboard, snowshoe...or anything for that matter, it's always important to understand your surroundings and be prepared.

REI offers avalanche-safety kits containing a transceiver, shovel, and probe, or you can purchase each item separately.

Until recently, getting caught in avalanche debris meant almost certain burial. An avalanche airbag is an innovative device designed to help victims keep themselves afloat near the surface of the slide. These things are crazy.

We are in prime avalanche territory, I mean we ARE home to the Colorado Avalanche so let's take a look at eight of the craziest avalanches caught on camera...in no particular order.

1. The live show from Telluride

These people were just taking in the impressive show from the safety of beautiful downtown Telluride...they probably wouldn't so excited if they were closer to this massive slide. Wow.

2. Avalanches rolling across highways

Almost as scary as being on a mountain when one of these things trigger, driving along a highway and seeing a massive cloud of snow and ice charging at you at around 70 mph.

3. Let's take an avalanche ride

Let's take a ride with a snowboarder who was caught in an avalanche near Loveland Pass and was lucky enough to live to tell about it AND... has it on video.

4. Burial and Wreckage

100 yards wide, up to 15 feet deep with several people buried in their cars...and nobody was hurt. Let's take a look at this avalanche that covered highway 91 at Copper Mountain in 2019.

5. Outrunning (skiing) and avalanche

(That's a big NOPE for me)

6. Figures, stats and the aftermath of avalanches

This one doesn't really show you too much of actual avalanche footage but this video was just too interesting for me to not share. IMPRESSIVE.

7. On the road AGAIN

8. Buried on a highway

One second you're driving along and the next...you're slammed and buried by an avalanche.

After watching these, I feel it's only appropriate and could be pretty helpful if you're ever caught in one of these things...

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