As snow accumulates, avalanche hazards will increase at all elevations and on all aspects. Stick to slopes less than 30º and avoid terrain traps, such as gullies, cliffs, or other terrain features that make it difficult for a rider to escape a slide.
Waiting a day or two after the storm for new snow to settle before venturing into steeper terrain will reduce the hazard of storm slab avalanches. Fresh snow can also cause loose avalanches or sluff in steep areas- which can easily carry you over cliffs or into a terrain trap.
- Melt freeze crusts present throughout the snowpack at all elevations and aspects. These weak layers could fail and produce an unlikely but much larger avalanche. - Stubborn wind slabs in the alpine are another hazard to keep on the radar. - The people you go out with, the way you communicate, and the way you practice risk reduction as a team throughout the day is equally important as the conditions.
