Steamboat & Flat Tops

Steer around places where the wind is drifting snow onto steep slopes. These newly formed slabs will rest on softer, weaker layers, making it easy to trigger an avalanche. Cracking in the surface snow is a sign of unstable snow. Be careful on steep slopes below treeline, where you may find deep, unconsolidated snow above terrain traps. Here, a loose avalanche could knock you over.

You can find safer travel on slopes sheltered from the wind.