If not near high mountains, which may have a crevasse, snow travel is not as complicated.

However, if you have to break trail, you could be "post-holing" in over knee-deep snow and that can lead quickly to exhaustion.

Snowshoes help.

There are reasonably lightweight snowshoes for the combined weight of you and your pack.

If you need to cross a slope, there are specialized snowshoes with a heel-lift and metal spikes and metal edges for traction of reasonably light weight specifically designed for mountain travel.

It may be necessary to kick-step into the snow on a somewhat steep slope.

If the snow slope has a crust you may need to have Kahtoola MICROspikes, for example, or crampons.

Before you attempt a crossing on a steep snow slope, say more than 30 degrees of slope, recognize consciously there is an avalanche hazard.

Is there indication of past avalanche, e.g. trees scraped off the slope? no trees a distance up the other side of the ravine?

Does the snow have little snowballs running anywhere at all off the slope, or cracks and fissures indicating slippage?

Are there different layers, for example, a crust on softer snow, and much much worse, a crust layer covered over by a soft layer and additional layers? Is there thick dry slab on soft snow?

This may require digging down through the snow near the edge of a risky slope to find out.

Even so, I don't know everything about it.

I have avalanche training. I don't take chances like that.

If you feel wrong about the slope, go around or leave. Simply make a change of plans.

This is why map and compass work are so important: you may need to find an alternate route to get around that slope, or find an alternate way out.

In mountains, this is all so much more important.

That said, if cut off from exit, there is less risk on the the windward side of a slope because snow accumulates more on the leeward side.

The cornice, if any, is on the leeward side.

Do not go cross steep side hills or enter narrow, steeply sided canyons. The safest route may be near a ridgetop on the windward side, away from cornices. The next safest route is out in the valley, far from the bottom of the risk slope.

There is a reason mountainclimbers are called mountaineers. We are equipped, we know what we are doing, we know we can trust the others with us to rescue us and they know they can trust us to rescue them before we are out on the real deal.

Having a Guide, or Guiding, is no guarantee.

Clients have perished. Clients have been known to cause the death of the Guide.

Hike, but don't do the real mountaineering stuff unless you learn how and are properly equipped with knowledge, equipment, and companions that are as good, or better, than you.

This is the best assurance of getting to be there with the mountain, and not become a casualty.

Look, they are roped up. The rescuer has the right equipment and is well-practiced in the technique.

In an authentic rescue, the rescuer would work without pause because it is so cold in a crevasse even a conscious person in there can quickly lose use of their "motor muscles" to assist getting up and over the edge.

That "victim" was dressed warmer than he would be for the exertion involved in climbing, or, he dresses warmer and proceeds slow enough to avoid getting the insulating layers wet from sweating.

There is another reason an ice axe is a good thing.

It may be used as a probe before taking the next step. If the hole is "ice blue" with light and not darker, it is very likely a snowed-over crevasse. Slowly back away.

By the way, the crevasse at the top near the rock face is called a bergschrund. It is not a joke to be jumped. The snow that falls onto the top portion of it may make it appear to be "no big deal."