Gunnison

You can trigger a dangerous avalanche on many slopes where several feet of recent snow has overwhelmed a weak snowpack below. In deeper areas, the thick storm snow may feel supportive and offer few instability signs before releasing a destructive slide. In shallower areas and on northerly-facing slopes at lower elevations you may see cracking and collapsing. Either way, don't trust any steep terrain that faces west, through north, to southeast. Slopes facing these directions hold buried weak layers that have not adjusted to the huge recent loads. Recent drifting from westerly winds continues to aggravate these concerns. Choose safer options in lower-angled wind-sheltered terrain not exposed to steep slopes overhead.