Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger an avalanche in recently fallen snow from the beginning of March. The bigger danger is triggering a larger slide that breaks on buried weak layers from February. The most dangerous areas are steep northerly and easterly-facing slopes where the recent snow drifted into slabs. Be cautious where you find more than a foot of drifted snow on steep slopes below ridgelines, in gullies, or on convex rollovers. Small slides closer to the surface can be the trigger for a larger avalanche. Shooting cracks or collapses in drifted snow are a sign of instability and an indication you could trigger an avalanche, but you may not see these signs before you trigger a slide. Look for safer riding on wind-sheltered slopes or slopes less than 30 degrees.