Front Range

Drifting snow on Monday may overload weak snow buried near the ground where you can trigger a large avalanche on upper elevation slopes. While you might just trigger a small avalanche in the drifted snow, it can easily become the trigger for a larger avalanche. Cracking within the new snow is a sign that it is unstable, but you might not see such obvious clues before you trigger a larger slide. Keep in mind that tracks on a slope do not mean it is safe, especially if you find the trigger point for a large avalanche. You can reduce your chances of triggering an avalanche by traveling on lower-elevation, southerly-facing slopes. If you plan to travel on upper elevation slopes, stick to terrain less than about 30 degrees without steep slopes above as a safer travel option.