The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) released an avalanche warning for the area around Aspen Monday.
Risk of slides is high, even below treeline. They could be triggered naturally, or by backcountry travel.
Spencer Logan, a forecaster at CAIC, explains this weekend’s heavy snowfall created unstable conditions.
"As we go through longer dry spells, avalanche danger tends to taper off, but the snow on the ground gets really weak. The next time a storm comes in, the avalanche danger goes back up and we repeat the cycle," he said.
An avalanche warning means large avalanches are likely. They can be triggered from a distance, so travelers should avoid being below steep slopes.
Conditions will remain dangerous as the storm moves out Tuesday.