Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2
You can trigger an avalanche on upper-elevation, northerly and easterly-facing slopes that harbor drifted snow. Look for and avoid steep slopes with drifted snow below ridgelines, convex rollovers, and cross-loaded gullies. You might find drifts farther down the slope than you anticipate. You might trigger an avalanche on a more deeply buried weak layer if you find a thinner trigger point on a slope. You'll likely not get any warnings from the snowpack before you do. Look for safer riding in wind-sheltered slopes or slopes less than about 30 degrees.