![](https://images.prismic.io/avalancheca/6f6ce4c99fe576f35af1a9e9ecd1b57a234b1d8c_shooting-cracks---raveneye.jpg?auto=compress,format)
Shooting cracks are a sign of instability in the snowpack. They appear as cracks propagating outwards through the snowpack under the weight of a person or machine. Shooting cracks are indicative of an unstable snowpack, often illustrating the transition of low density surface snow into a consolidating slab. If you see shooting tracks, you should avoid any slopes steep enough to avalanche.
Photo: Shooting cracks propagate from the tips of skis. By Raven Eye Photography