Aspen

You can trigger a large and deadly avalanche and you might not see any signs of instability such as cracking or collapsing before you do. The most dangerous slopes are those that already avalanched earlier this season and face the north half of the compass. Unless you know a slope's seasonal history, you should treat most steep slopes on aspects of concern as dangerous, even if there are already tracks on that slope. Careful snow and terrain identification are necessary to travel safely through avalanche terrain right now. You can drastically reduce your chances of being caught in an avalanche by sticking to low-angle slopes or wind-sheltered slopes at lower elevations facing southeast, south, or southwest.