Steamboat & Flat Tops

You could trigger an avalanche at upper elevations in fresh snow drifts. Look for and avoid smooth rounded snow surfaces directly below ridgelines and vegetation breaks or where you see fresh cornices forming.

While most avalanches in the drifted snow will be small, these avalanches can be dangerous when combined with terrain traps such as cliffs, rocks, gullies, or trees. Wind-sheltered terrain offers safer riding options.