Aspen

You can trigger a dangerous avalanche that breaks on weak layers buried within the snowpack. You can also trigger an avalanche in recently fallen snow closer to the surface. The most dangerous slopes will be those where recently fallen or wind-drifted snow contributes to the overloading of these buried weak layers. Shooting cracks within the recent snow are a sign of instability near the surface. More deeply buried weak layers will not give you such obvious feedback before you trigger a large and deadly avalanche. If you notice cracking or collapsing within the new snow or if you notice weak layers within the top four feet of the snowpack, you should move to wind-sheltered terrain less than about 30 degrees as a safer option.