Front Range

You can trigger an avalanche on slopes with more than six inches of wind-drifted snow. These drifts could be firm or soft and break well above you. Avoid steep slopes with pillow-like drifts, especially below ridgelines and in cross-loaded gullies. Expect drifts in unusual places. The avalanche you trigger could step down to deeper, weak layers in the snowpack with no warning. Slopes with lots of rocks and shallow snow coverage are where this is most likely to happen. You can find safer riding on lower-elevation slopes sheltered from the wind.

Look for roller balls and point-release avalanches as the day warms. These could get deeper and sheet off above crusts. If you see this problem, move to cooler aspects and consider your egress slopes back to the trailhead.