Gunnison

Dangerous and complicated avalanche conditions exist. You can trigger a large and dangerous avalanche on most steep slopes. You are most likely to trigger an avalanche on recently wind-loaded slopes facing northeast through east to south near and above treeline. On northerly and easterly slopes you can trigger a larger and more destructive avalanche that can fail on multiple different weak layers buried one to three feet below the snow surface. To reduce your chances of being caught in an avalanche avoid wind-loaded slopes and shallow, uneven, rocky slopes where the snowpack is thinner and you can easily impact one of the buried weak layers. Safer travel options always exist by sticking to slopes less than about 30 degrees without similarly steep slopes above you.