A massive winter storm that dumped snow across much of the Western U.S. has brought high avalanche risk in many areas.
The first reported U.S. avalanche death of the season happened Wednesday in California.
And on Thursday, two men were rescued and a third died after they were caught in an avalanche in Idaho. Most avalanche deaths occur in the wilderness.
They’re rare at ski resorts where crews manage the slopes and trigger smaller slides on purpose when no one is around.
The Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center says avalanches are relatively common on the San Francisco Peaks. They warn that Thursday's storm brought increased avalanche danger. Backcountry travelers should be leery of the current conditions and aware of persistent slabs and wind slabs on skiable slopes.
"Many slopes may seem inviting but will be full of buried hazards, including rocks, stumps, logs and boulders," the organization wrote in a Saturday forecast. "Finding slopes that are safely skiable but do not pose heightened avalanche risk will be challenging."