SALT LAKE CITY —  As Utah makes its way through its first winter storm, officials warned of high avalanche danger. 

Little Cottonwood Canyon already saw an avalanche on Sunday. Avalanche forecasters warned that even more slides could hit our canyons in the next couple of days.

Apparently, even the smallest avalanches can become extremely dangerous with high snow levels, and it doesn’t take much to set them off.

“A fresh blanket of snow can be incredibly beautiful,” wrote the Utah Avalanche Center. “The problem is that it hides all the rocks, stumps, logs, and other things that may serious injuries if you’re caught in even a small avalanche.”

If you decide to take to the mountains this winter, forecasters said to be prepared with gear that can help you in an avalanche situation. Bring a probe, shovel, and transceiver and be sure to check the forecast before you go.

Related reading:

• Winter makes grand entrance in Utah
• Three hikers rescued from Mount Olympus Saturday night