Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can easily trigger avalanches where storm snow accumulated on steep slopes. Look for and avoid bulbous, textured pillows of snow on steep slopes. Especially on drifted easterly-facing slopes just below ridgelines and in gully features.

You might still trigger a large, deadly avalanche that breaks widely and deeply. Beware of thin areas on the slope, like the margins of a slope and near exposed rocks and bushes; these are potential trigger points. You can also trigger these avalanches from a distance and multiple people can ride a slope before one releases.

To reduce your chances of an avalanche involvement, stick to slopes less than about 30 degrees without steep slopes above you. Also, avoid lingering below steep rocky southerly slopes as the snow heats up during the day.