Gunnison

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist across the West Elk and Elk Mountains. You can easily trigger an avalanche on many slopes, they can be triggered from long distances away, and you probably won't get any signs of instability such as cracking and collapsing in the snow before triggering a large and destructive avalanche. You may find safer travel options on lower-elevation south-facing slopes or drastically reduce your chances of being caught in an avalanche by sticking to slopes less than about 30 degrees steep without steep slopes overhead when traveling on or near aspects of concern.