Front Range

You can trigger an avalanche where you find smooth, firm, bulbous pillows of snow. These may feel drum-like and crack beneath you. You are most likely to find them beneath ridgelines and cross-loaded gullies. If you avoid these pillows, you will reduce your hazard. Even small avalanches in steep and cliffy terrain can be dangerous. If you observe cracking in the surface snow, you can find safer riding at lower elevations protected from wind drifting.