Vail & Summit County

You can trigger an avalanche that is large enough to bury and kill you on most slopes Riders continue to trigger avalanches from a distance and below. Slopes with shallower snow will be the easiest place to trigger slides, but slopes with thick drifts will produce the deadliest ones. To avoid this tricky mix, stick to slopes less than about 30 degrees, including flat areas connected to steep slopes above. Below treeline wind-sheltered terrain offers safer travel.