Steamboat & Flat Tops

Slopes with recently drifted snow, harbor the thickest slabs and are the most dangerous. You are most likely to find these drifted slopes directly below ridgetop. Cracking in the snow and audible collapses are signs of instability and an indication to avoid steep slopes. You might not see any signs of instability before you trigger an avalanche. Avoiding these pillows and seeking out lower-angled slopes are ways to reduce your hazard.

Also on Monday, watch for the surface snow getting wet. Rollerballs in the surface snow indicate the threat for wet avalanches is increasing, and you should move to slopes with colder snow. Steep, rocky, southerly-facing slopes are most vulnerable to wet avalanches.