Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger dangerous avalanches in above treeline areas. Look for freshly drifted wind slabs in open areas that catch wind-drifted snow. Shooting cracks in the surface snow and small avalanches are signs of instability and signs you should stick to slopes with a slope angle of less than about 30 degrees.

In areas near and below treeline, you can trigger sluffs that can gouge down into weak snow and gain volume and speed. These avalanches will be large enough to drag you over a cliff or into rocks and trees and could be large enough to bury you in a terrain trap. Avoid steep slopes with cliffs and other terrain traps below.