Sangre de Cristo

You may be able to trigger an avalanche where you find more than about 8 inches of stiff, drifted snow. Generally, the snowpack remains shallow, and the more hazardous slopes are where winds have cross-loaded features, creating connected coverage. Look for and avoid pillowy or lens-shaped drifts that feel firm on steep slopes. Cracking in the drifted snow is a sign to move to lower-angle slopes sheltered from the wind.