Steamboat & Flat Tops

You can trigger avalanches that break in recently drifted snow or in old snow near the ground. You may trigger a more dangerous avalanche on slopes with deeper or continuous snow. The most problematic spots are below ridgelines, in cross-loaded gullies, or on snow-filled, concave slopes. You might see smooth, lens-shaped pillows of snow that sound hollow underfoot, crack, or collapse. You might trigger avalanches from the bottom of slopes. If you find these signs of unstable snow, stick to low-angle terrain.