Southern San Juan

The La Plata Mountains were honey hole for the most recent storm, picking up around a foot of snow. You can trigger an avalanche in the storm snow on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees, where you find 8 inches or more of new or drifted snow. An avalanche triggered above a firm, planar surface has the best chance of breaking broader than expected. Near and below treeline on slopes where the new snow fell on a very weak and cohesionless snowpack, an avalanche in the new snow could gouge into old snow layers, producing a more significant and dangerous avalanche. Cranking on the snow surface indicates the new snow stiffening, forming a slab. If you observe this sign of instability or find evidence of drifting like smooth, lens-shaped pillows, steer clear of slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.