Sawatch

Get into and out of the mountains early to avoid wet avalanches. As the day progresses, the most recent snow will get wet and start to lose cohesion. Look for signs of increasing danger, such as wet avalanches running in steep rocky terrain, or wet, gloppy snow that sticks to everything. The most dangerous slopes are near and above treeline and face west through north to southeast. If you find yourself sinking deeper than about 8 inches into wet unconsolidated snow, it's time to call it a day.