Sangre de Cristo

Slopes near and above treeline with drifted snow are the most likely places for you to trigger avalanches. Strong easterly winds during the last storm drifted thick slabs on some unusual, westerly-facing slopes. Avalanches on wind-loaded slopes can break wider than you anticipate and step down into weak snow layers at the bottom of the snowpack. Avoid areas beneath ridgelines, cornices, and gullies with a rounded snow surface or where the snow feels hard underfoot. Move to lower-angle or wind-sheltered slopes if you see cracking in the snow or hear rumbling collapses.