Steamboat & Flat Tops

If you do not find a supportable melt-freeze crust to travel on early Friday morning, you'll need to consider changing your plans and avoiding steep slopes. Warm overnight temperatures, especially at lower and middle elevations on Thursday night, will increase the threat of wet avalanches going into Friday. Some slopes may not see a refreeze of the snow surface. To reduce your risk of wet avalanches, start and end your day early.

Once the snow gets wet, head to slopes with cooler snow or return to the trailhead. When the surface crust melts, most southerly slopes will be dangerous. East-facing, near treeline slopes are particularly dangerous. This is where colder snow is getting wet for the first time. Smaller avalanches and cornice falls onto slopes can trigger avalanches that break on deeper layers.

Snow starting on Friday afternoon won't accumulate enough to increase the danger by evening. You can expect more winter-like conditions and new snow avalanche problems on Saturday.

Support these forecasts and avalanche education programming across Colorado by donating to Friends of CAIC’s Spring Gear Giveaway Fundraiser through April 1. Donate Now!