Front Range

Slopes facing northerly and easterly that harbor drifted snow are the most dangerous. Steep slopes below ridgelines, convex rollovers, and cross-loaded gullies are places where you might find smooth rounded pillows of drifted snow. These drifts might sound hollow underneath you. You might also encounter these slopes farther down the slope than anticipated. Several tracks could be on a slope, or there could be no signs of unstable snow like cracking or collapsing before triggering an avalanche in a more deeply buried weak layer. As temperatures warm and the sun comes out you may experience wet, heavy snow sluffing on sunnier aspects at lower elevations. Though these will be small, they can be enough to knock you over and take you for a ride. Look for safer riding in wind-sheltered slopes or slopes less than 30 degrees.