It is possible to trigger small avalanches of wind-drifted snow in exposed upper-elevation outlying terrain.

• Avoid and stay out from under stiffer pockets of recently drifted snow on steep slopes.
• Wind slabs may have formed or been cross-loaded in and around terrain features such as mid-slope roll-overs, gullies, under cliff bands, or sub-ridges.
• Suspect wind slabs are often chalky, rounded, and smooth, and they can sound hollow, like a drum. Shooting cracks and whumpfs or collapsing indicate instability.

Friday, we encountered hard, wind-textured snow in exposed upper-elevation terrain, a sign that pockets of wind-drifted snow may be resting on weaker, faceted snow in lee areas.

Any backcountry travel involves some inherent risk.

• Always follow safe travel protocols in avalanche terrain by only exposing one person at a time. Make sure everyone in your group has working avalanche rescue equipment (avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel) and knows how to use it.
• Watch for warming snow on sunny steep slopes in the heat of the day. If the snow becomes saturated, move to a cooler aspect or elevation. Rollerballs and pinwheels are signs of unstable snow.
• Small loose avalanches of sugary, faceted snow are possible in very steep terrain.

A layer of surface hoar and small near-surface facets is now capped, buried shallowly, and preserved by fresh snow; this will likely become a problematic, persistent weak layer. Drifts of new snow forming on this layer of preexisting weak surface snow could break under the weight of a skier or rider