Recent winds blow from an unusual southeast direction and will load terrain we often see scoured by winds. But here's where the rubber hits the road... our low density storm snow is easily whipped into shallow drifts that'll react to our additional weight. As today's snow continues piling up, some drifts will get camouflaged under fresh snow, while others are easier to spot. Sounds deceptively complex, but we can keep things simple because the vast majority of today's avalanche problem is found on steep, leeward, upper elevation slopes, especially those in the wind zone facing the north half of the compass. So here's your exit strategy... lose the wind and you lose the problem. Yeah, simply lose some elevation and you find great riding with straight-forward avy danger. So, the key to riding safely today is to avoid fat rounded pillows of snow, especially if they appear chalky or sound hollow like a drum... done and done.