Gunnison

Over a foot of snow fell Thursday and Friday with more snow coming Friday night creating dangerous avalanche conditions exist on Saturday. You can trigger an avalanche on most steep slopes that have over a foot of new snow. Most of these avalanches will be small but they can grow large enough to bury you on steep, sustained slopes or on wind-loaded slopes where the slabs are thicker and more cohesive. If you see cracking in the snow as you travel this is a sign to stay away from large, steep slopes.

You might be able to trigger a much larger and potentially deadly avalanche on an unusual, weak layer of snow three to four feet below the snow surface. If you choose to travel on steep northerly or easterly aspects avoid uneven, rocky slopes or slopes that previously avalanched earlier this year. Here, the snow is shallow and it is easier for you to impact the buried weak layer. Safer travel options always exist by sticking to slopes less than about 30 degrees steep without similarly steep slopes above you while the snowpack adjusts to this new load.