Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avoid steep, recently drifted slopes. You can tell which ones these are by the relatively harder surface snow. Shooting cracks are also a sure sign of unstable snow. Stick to slopes sheltered from the wind, with softer snow, to reduce your risk of avalanches. North through east to southeast-facing steep slopes that sit directly below ridgetop are most prone to wind loading and are the most dangerous.