Grand Mesa

You can trigger a slab avalanche on steep slopes where you find over a foot of new snow. You can also trigger small but potentially dangerous loose avalanches wherever you find more than a few inches of new snow on a slick, hard surface underneath. To reduce your chances of triggering a slab avalanche avoid slopes steeper than about 35 degrees when you find over a foot of new snow or if you see cracking in the snow. Avoid steep slopes with terrain traps such as a cliff, a lake, or a creek beneath them to avoid being swept off your feet and injured or worse by a small loose avalanche.