Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–1.5
Watch for drifted areas with more than about 8 inches of recently drifted snow. Look for and avoid lens-shaped drifts of snow below ridges and inside gullies. Cracking in the new snow is a sign to avoid drifted slopes greater than about 35 degrees. You are most likely to find drifted snow on north through east to southeast-facing slopes at the highest elevations.
Warm temperatures and scattered clouds on Saturday mean you might be able to trigger avalanches in wet snow at lower elevations. If you see rollerballs or pinwheels coming off steep slopes, or if you're sinking up to your ankles in wet snow, you should avoid similar steep slopes.