Steamboat & Flat Tops

The northern Park Range could see about a foot of snow by Tuesday night. You can trigger small avalanches in recently drifted snow. Avalanches that break on a layer of weak snow formed in early December are more dangerous. These will be deeper, and as the slabs above them continue to grow and connect they could be triggered from below or a distance. Look for and avoid smooth, rounded pillows of snow just below ridgelines and in cross-loaded terrain features like gullies. Cracking in the new snow and audible collapses are obvious signs of instability, avoid steep slopes where you see these signs. Easterly-facing slopes are the most dangerous but cross-loaded slopes that face north or south are also suspect. You can find safer travel on lower-angle slopes and in areas sheltered from the wind.