Vail & Summit County

You can trigger an avalanche in the recently drifted snow at upper elevations in the Gore Range. Look for and avoid smooth rounded snow surfaces directly below ridgelines, on convex rollovers, and on the sides of gullies. Strong winds may drift snow lower on slopes than you expect. A small avalanche in the new snow may step down into a buried layer about two to three feet deep, causing a much larger avalanche. Shooting cracks within the new snow are signs of instabilities and signs you should move to a wind-sheltered slope for safer travel options.