Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger an avalanche where westerly winds drift new snow into cohesive slabs. Look for and avoid lens-shaped pillows of snow on steep slopes, especially just below ridgelines and in cross-loaded gullies. Some drifts might be soft and smooth, but with intense winds in the forecast drifted snow could be dense and supportable. Don't be surprised if you find drifting lower in the terrain than normal. Cracking in the new snow is a sign of instability and an indication you should stick to lower-angle or wind-sheltered slopes, but you might not see any before you trigger an avalanche.