Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger an avalanche within the freshly drifted snow at upper elevations. Strong winds combined with the six to eight inches of new snow will create slabs in the Park Range and Flat Top Mountains. Drifted areas can be identified by their smooth lens-shaped appearance and may feel hollow underneath you. Directly below ridgelines, on sides of gullies, or steep rollovers are the most dangerous. Even a small avalanche can have big consequences if you get carried into a depression or through threes. Move to terrain less than about 30 degrees if you see signs of unstable snow, like shooting cracks or collapsing.