Gunnison

You can easily trigger a large avalanche on many steep slopes, especially those which avalanches earlier this year. A large proportion of avalanche paths meet this criteria, so you will encounter dangerous conditions in most avalanche terrain. The lack of instability signs or snowpack test results from lower angled slopes and areas that have not avalanched this season could mislead you. Assume you will find an unstable snowpack when you move into terrain steeper than about 30 degrees. Look for safer options on south or southwest-facing terrain. While mostly harmless, you can find small drifts on southerly slopes, so use caution above terrain traps.

On Tuesday, January 7, a backcountry skier was caught and killed in an avalanche on Red Mountain Number 3, near Red Mountain Pass. The avalanche was triggered on a wind-drifted northwest-facing slope near treeline. Our deepest condolences to the deceased skier's family, friends, and community. You can read the preliminary accident report here.