Front Range

You can easily trigger an avalanche in drifted snow, especially in the alpine. Look for and avoid lens-shaped pillows of snow on steep slopes, especially just below ridgelines and in cross-loaded gullies. Some drifts might be soft and smooth, but with intense westerly winds, some could be dense and supportable. Don't be surprised if you find drifting lower in the terrain than normal. Cracking in the new snow is a sign of instability and an indication you should stick to lower-angle or wind-sheltered slopes, but you might not see any before you trigger an avalanche.

Although unlikely, you can still trigger an avalanche on buried weak layers. Dig down to look for unstable snow. You should stay on lower-angle slopes if you find a weak layer one to three feet deep or weak snow near the ground below a shallow slab.