Front Range

You can trigger a deadly avalanche on any slope with a buried weak layer. The most dangerous slopes face northwest through east to southeast. You are unlikely to get any warning signs like cracking and collapsing before you trigger a deadly slide. You could trigger an avalanche from below. On slopes without a buried weak layer, be cautious when you find more than 8 inches of new or wind-drifted snow that may crack beneath you. Small slides near the surface can easily trigger larger avalanches that break near the ground. Look for safer travel on slopes less than about 30 degrees that aren't connected to steep terrain above. Wind-sheltered, lower-elevation slopes where you don't find a slab are another option.