Vail & Summit County

You can trigger an avalanche where you find more than about 6 inches of storm snow on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. Watch for cracking as a sign of unstable snow. Most slides will be small, but you should steer around steep features where an avalanche could sweep you off your feet and into consequential terrain below. Even small sluffs can be dangerous if they push you into trees or over rocks and cliffs.