Front Range

Avalanche conditions are generally safe, but you should keep a couple of things in mind. First, with above-freezing temperatures, light winds, and ample sunshine on Thursday, you can trigger avalanches in wet snow. Signs of wet snow include rollerballs or pinwheels in the surface snow and gloppy snow sticking to the bottom of your gear. The most likely place to make an avalanche in wet snow is on an open, rocky, and very steep slope. Get into and out of the mountains early to avoid wet snow avalanches. Wet snow problems will get more dangerous on Friday and Saturday.

Strong winds early in the week built slabs on leeward slopes in the alpine. You might find a shallow slab of dry snow above treeline and trigger a small avalanche. Be careful when traveling in steep, consequential terrain where even a small avalanche can send you tumbling.

Remember, if you’re increasing you’re exposure by skiing steeper, more challenging terrain when the avalanche danger decreases, your overall level of risk doesn’t change. Continue to practice safe travel, like only exposing one person to a slope at a time.