Sangre de Cristo

You can trigger a large and dangerous avalanche on any steep slope where you find a stiff, cohesive slab of snow. Wind-drifted slopes that span adjacent terrain features at upper elevations are capable of producing a long-running slide. Avoid places where you see evidence of drifting like recent cornice growth, rounded snow pillows or where the snow surface is hard and sculpted beneath ridgelines and along steep sidewalls of gullies. Move to less-steep terrain if you experience cracking or audible collapsing in the snow. Wind-sheltered slopes below treeline offer safer options.