Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snow and wind overnight means you can easily trigger an avalanche on Friday at upper elevations. You can trigger an avalanche where you find more than about 8 inches of recently drifted snow. North through east to south-facing slopes at upper elevations are the most dangerous. Cracking in the surface snow is an indication to avoid rounded pillows of drifted snow on steep slopes.

If you trigger a surface slide, the avalanche might break deeper into the snowpack. If you find the wrong spot on a slope, you can trigger a large, wide, and potentially deadly avalanche. Multiple people can ride a slope before one of these slides occurs, and you are unlikely to see any warning signs. Paths that already slid this season are more likely to slide again.

Lower elevation, wind-sheltered slopes are safer. To reduce your risk further, look for slopes less than about 30 degrees that are not connected to steeper slopes above.