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 north, northeast, and east-facing slopes above the treeline where wind-drifted snow rests on top of old, weak snow. On some particularly wind-loaded terrain features such as the lee side of a ridgeline or along the sides of a gully or couloir, avalanches may grow large enough to bury you. If you notice signs of instability such as shooting cracks or collapsing in the snow consider moving to low-angle terrain or a different aspect.