Grand Mesa

You can trigger a dangerous wet slab avalanche on high-elevation, northerly-facing slopes. Snow drifted into slabs in late April storms. That drifted snow is now getting moist or wet, and breaking off the underlying snow. The avalanches are generally shallow, but have been entraining additional snow and running long distances. Even small avalanches can take you on a ride with severe consequences if they push you over a cliff or pinball you into rocks.

You can trigger a loose avalanche on steep slopes with more than a few inches of wet, saturated snow. Stand on the snow surface with your boots--if you sink into soggy snow past your ankles, loose avalanches will be easy to trigger. The slides could gouge to the ground on slopes near and below the treeline. Beware of trapdoor conditions where you fall through the snowpack onto the ground at the lowest elevations. The easiest way to avoid these problems is to start and end your day early. The snow can rapidly change from supportable to soggy and dangerous.