Vail & Summit County

You can trigger an avalanche where recently fallen snow drifted into slabs at upper elevations. Some slides will break near the surface and remain small. The bigger problem is avalanches breaking on weak snow buried one to two feet deep or even close to the ground. These slides can break widely and grow large. Smaller slides can easily become the trigger for a larger avalanche. Look for and avoid smooth, rounded pillows of snow below ridgelines and in gullies, especially on easterly-facing slopes. Cracking within drifted snow is a sign to seek out areas sheltered from the wind or slopes less than about 30 degrees.