Steamboat & Flat Tops

You might trigger an avalanche that breaks two to four feet deep on steep slopes. Layers of weak snow lurk inside the snowpack and choosing lower-angle slopes remains your best approach to avoid getting into trouble. You may not see obvious signs of instability like shooting cracks and audible collapses before you trigger an avalanche. Don’t let the absence of these signs lull you into a false sense of security. Consider your terrain choices carefully; if you trigger a slide on a larger slope it could break widely and deeply and become nearly impossible to escape.