Steamboat & Flat Tops

Heavy snow and strong winds are creating dangerous avalanche conditions. The most dangerous conditions are easterly slopes near ridgetop where strong winds are drifting snow into thick slabs. In these places, avalanches may run naturally and you can trigger a large, wide, and deep avalanche.

In areas sheltered from the wind, be careful anywhere you find 12 inches or more of recent storm snow. Watch for shooting cracks and sounds of collapsing and move to low-angle slopes if you observe these warning signs. Weaker layers of snow are buried beneath the new snow. This is hard to identify without digging into the snow and looking. You'll need to either evaluate the snowpack carefully or stick to low-angle slopes to avoid avalanches.