Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Unlikely
- Size
- 1–2
You may trigger a slab avalanche above treeline where you find drifted pillows of snow just below ridges, below freshly-grown cornices, inside cross-drifted gullies, or below steep rollovers. If you see cracking in the newly drifted snow, move to low-angle or wind-sheltered slopes. Easterly-facing slopes are the most likely place to trigger an avalanche, but take care anywhere you find more than about a foot of recently drifted snow.
Cloud cover will limit wet snow avalanche concerns, but if you find a localized spot where you sink deeper than your ankles in saturated, wet snow, move to lower-angle terrain.