Aspen

You can trigger a slab avalanche in wind-drifted terrain. Recent and forecast westerly winds mean easterly-facing slopes will hold the deepest and most dangerous slabs. Look for and steer around denser wind-drifted snow below ridges or along the sides of cross-loaded gullies. In wind-sheltered terrain avoid any steep slopes where you find close to a foot of freshly fallen snow above a very weak layer in the upper snowpack. An avalanche in motion might break deeper, stepping down to weak layers buried 2 to 3 feet deep. As we head into a stormy week, you will be able to trigger an avalanche in more places.

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