Sawatch

Increasing winds are drifting snow at upper elevations. With gusty winds and bursts of snowfall, conditions could change quickly during the day. Look for and avoid slopes steeper than about 35 degrees where you find more than about a foot of freshly deposited snow. Cracking in the new snow is a sign to move to lower-angle slopes or wind-sheltered terrain.

There is a chance you could trigger a more dangerous avalanche that breaks on a weak layer two to four feet deep. These will be much less common than avalanches in the recent snow, but much more dangerous. You may not see any warning signs before you do. To reduce your chances of triggering one of these deeper slides, avoid steep slopes with variable snow depths or thinner-than-average snowpack.