Vail & Summit County

You will most likely trigger an avalanche on easterly-facing slopes where you find smooth pillows of rounded snow. The avalanche may stay at the surface or may step down to weak layers in the snowpack like this avalanche at Jones Pass. The easiest places to trigger a deeper slide are shallow areas of the snowpack close to rocks and small trees, along the margin of slopes, and at convex rolls. These areas are very difficult to identify. Don't assume tracks indicate safety, as multiple people could ride a slope before you trigger it. You can find safer travel on lower elevation slopes sheltered from the wind and on slopes less than about 30 degrees.