Grand Mesa

You can easily trigger an avalanche on wind-loaded slopes near and above treeline and some avalanches may occur naturally as the wind speeds increase throughout the day Monday. These avalanches may not break surprisingly wide but they can run farther than you expect as they gouge into old, weak snow from our extended dry spell before this storm. Identify and avoid steep wind-loaded slopes, especially facing easterly directions, to reduce your chances of being caught in a dangerous avalanche. You can identify wind-loaded slopes by their smooth, wave-like appearance on the snow surface and the hard, hollow feeling you will experience when traveling across them.

You can also trigger a smaller but still dangerous loose avalanche on wind-sheltered slopes at lower elevations facing the north half of the compass. While most of these avalanches will be small, some of them can grow large enough to bury you on consistently steep slopes or they can knock you over and drag you into a terrain trap such as a creek or cliff. You can find safer travel options on wind-sheltered slopes less than around 35 degrees steep with no terrain traps on the slope below you.