Steamboat & Flat Tops

The most dangerous slopes are below treeline where you find firm snow over a weak base. Be careful in open areas where winds have drifted stiffer snow. The snowpack is deeper near and above the treeline, but you can still trigger a deadly slide if you find the wrong spot. You are most likely to trigger a deeper slide from the edges of a slope and close to trees and rocks. You may get no warning signs before a deadly avalanche. Further north, avalanches will be easier to trigger but smaller, and towards Buffalo Pass, avalanches will be harder to trigger but unsurvivable. You can find safer riding on lower-angle slopes and those with less wind drifting.