Vail & Summit County

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect from 4:30 PM Monday until 5 PM Wednesday. Avalanche conditions are dangerous. You can easily trigger avalanches large enough to injure or kill you. Backcountry travelers triggered many avalanches from a distance or the bottom of steep slopes in the last few days. Safe travel will require giving most slopes steeper than around 30 degrees wide buffers. Be aware of steep terrain above you, even if you are in gentle or flat terrain. This avalanche on Mt.Trelease highlights the problem and was triggered from slopes well below the steep area. Slopes where wind-drifting is occurring will be even more dangerous. This could occur in cross-loaded features, so avoid slopes below cornices and with obvious pillows of wind-drifted snow.