Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanches may break on a layer of weak snow buried one to two feet deep. Shooting cracks or audible collapses are clear signs of this weak layer and suggest avoiding steep slopes. Steer around areas of wind-drifted snow. Shallow slides in the drifted snow can step down into these deeper weak layers and grow much larger.

Above-freezing temperatures mean you might see point releases in wet, cohesionless snow. Avoid steep slopes where you see rollerballs or if you're sinking up to your ankles in wet, cohesionless snow. Small avalanches can be deadly if they push you into a terrain trap.