Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger avalanches in the upper snowpack that break about a foot deep. Smaller slides near the surface can break into more deeply buried weak layers and grow larger. The most problematic areas are open, easterly-facing slopes below ridgelines, gullies, or convex rollovers. You may not see cracking and collapsing before a slide breaks. Wind-sheltered slopes or slopes less than about 30 degrees offer safer options.

Warm and sunny weather this weekend will heat the snow on the surface. You might see wet snow sluff off steep, sunny slopes in the afternoon. Remember, even small slides can knock you over and take you for a ride. Seek shaded, high-elevation slopes to avoid wet snow.