Aspen

You can trigger an avalanche on many steep slopes at upper elevations. Slides can break deeply and propagate widely. This very large avalanche near Snowmass on March 18, 2024, provides recent and stark evidence of the type of avalanches you can trigger.

It is easiest to trigger one of these avalanches from a shallow spot in the snowpack, like near buried rocks and trees. Be especially suspicious of slopes where intense easterly winds drifted snow onto a thin and weak snowpack. Paths that already slid, refilled, and are now shallower than other terrain are suspect as well. You could ride a slope multiple times before triggering an avalanche. Traveling on slopes less than about 30 degrees with no steep connected terrain above can greatly reduce your risk.

Above-freezing temperatures and sunshine will warm the snow surface. Look out for snow shedding off of steep, sunny slopes, especially in the afternoon. Wet, mushy, and gloppy snow are signs to move to shaded slopes with cold snow or simply call it a day.