DENVER -- U.S. Highway 40 reopened over Berthoud Pass at around 10 a.m. Friday after crews concluded avalanche mitigation work.

To say their work was fruitful would be an underestimate.

Simon Trautman, a forecaster for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, said CDOT crews were able to trigger a substantial slide in a chronic problem area over the pass.

A Class 4 avalanche slid down Stanley Avalanche Path this morning after avalanche crews triggered the slide with explosives. Trautman said the slide crossed Hwy 40 once and nearly crossed it a second time further down the valley after it curves back around.

“For a Class 4 avalanche, basically it could take a train off the tracks,’ Trautman said.

CDOT crews also triggered a large avalanche doing mitigation work near the Eisenhower Tunnel on Interstate 70. Trautman said it has been a vicious cycle all season long. Most of the blame goes to Colorado’s paltry snowpack.

“Basically it’s as simple as we have had a low snow year,” he said. “And every time we have gotten any significant snowfall – anywhere from five to 12 inches – with some wind, it has created an avalanche cycle.”

There have been four skier-triggered avalanches over the past 48 hours, including a fatal slide that killed 20-year-old Daniel Michelotti near Arapahoe Ski Area on Wednesday.

Trautman said a skier was partially buried and rescued by his partner outside of Snowmass Ski Resort. Also two avalanches were triggered by skiers in the San Juan Mountains in the southwest corner of the state.

The avalanche conditions for much of the mountains is considerable. Trautman said this upcoming weekend has him concerned.

“It is going to be very nice out there,” he said. “And it’s still winter up in the mountains and pretty dangerous.”