The most important tool alpinists carry is the ability to read and avoid avalanche slopes in the first place. Here are a few techniques to avoid the white death. Gauge the general snow stability around your route before you even get in the car. If it has snowed recently, beware.
New snow adds weight to the existing snowpack and can be poorly bonded to the older snow layers.
Also, if the temperature has risen suddenly or the forecast is for bright sun, select a route free of avalanche danger, because warm temperatures and sun cause the snow to melt and lose its bond. To tackle an avalanche-threatened ice route, such as the Ribbon near Ouray, Colorado, look for a day that is calm, cloudy, and well below freezing with no recent snowfall and none predicted. Consider the snow slopes above the route. That 30-degree snow bowl sitting above your route may seem harmless compared to the steep pillar you just pulled, but in fact it can be far more deadly. Here, you can only make an educated guess about the snow conditions.