Aspen

You can trigger an avalanche where recently wind-drifted snow develops into a cohesive slab on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. You are most likely to encounter a wind-loaded slope above treeline on east to south-facing slopes. A hard, hollow sound to the snowpack and cracks shooting away from your feet as you travel across a slope are signs you are on one of these more dangerous wind-loaded slopes and should stick to low-angle terrain or seek out more wind-sheltered slopes.

Although it is getting harder to trigger them, you can still trigger a large and dangerous avalanche that breaks on deeper buried weak snow near the ground. The most dangerous areas are steep slopes that did not avalanche during the Thanksgiving week storm, are around two to three feet deep, and are supportable to your feet, skis, or machine. If you sink through the snow right to the ground the slope likely does not have a slab over weak snow combination and you are unlikely to trigger a dangerous slab avalanche.

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