Bollettino valanghe

The most dangerous slopes are wind-drifted easterly slopes that sit directly below ridgetop. This is where thick slabs sit on weak, collapsible layers of snow. You can trigger avalanches that break deeply into the snowpack.

Don't let your guard at lower elevations, especially if you find more than about 12 inches of recent snow. Avalanches can break directly beneath the new snow and then step down to more deeply buried layers. Shooting cracks and collapsing sounds are a sure sign of unstable snow.