Aspen

You probably won't see any signs of instability (cracking or collapsing in the snow) before you trigger a large and deadly avalanche. The most dangerous slopes are the slopes that already avalanched earlier this season and face the north half of the compass. Unless you are very familiar with a slope's seasonal history, you should treat most steep slopes on aspects of concern as dangerous, even if there are already tracks on that slope. Careful snow and terrain identification are necessary to travel in avalanche terrain right now. You can drastically reduce your chances of being caught in an avalanche by sticking to low-angle slopes or wind-sheltered slopes at lower elevations facing southeast, south, or southwest.