Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–1.5
You can trigger an avalanche where strong winds on Thursday drifted snow into soft slabs on east, southeast, and south-facing slopes at upper elevations. Avoid any steep area where you find more than about 10 inches of recently drifted snow. You can trigger larger, more dangerous avalanches in these areas. Look and avoid areas where you see evidence of recent wind-drifting, such as round pillows of snow, fresh cornice growth, and drifts on the lee side of rocks and trees. Stick to wind-sheltered slopes.
Although less likely, you can trigger avalanches that break deeper in the snowpack. Avoid rocky areas, convex rollovers, and the margins of slopes where the weak layer may be closer to the surface, making it easier to impact.