Sawatch

The most dangerous areas throughout the Sawatch Range, Holy Cross, and Frying Pan Wilderness are wind-loaded terrain features above the treeline and most slopes near the treeline. Here, a one to three-foot thick slab of snow rests on top of very weak snow near the ground. In these areas, you may be able to trigger an avalanche from below a slope or from a distance so be aware of steep slopes overhead and other parties nearby. You may experience shooting cracks and collapsing in the snowpack where you find this slab over weak layer combination warning you of the dangerous conditions. You can reduce your chances of being caught in an avalanche by traveling on slopes where the overlying slab does not exist and your feet, skis, or machine easily sink to the bottom of the snowpack. Safer backcountry routes exist by avoiding travel on or underneath slopes steeper than about 30 degrees in areas of concern.