Southern San Juan

Recent snowfall and strong winds built thick, dangerous slabs of snow at all elevations. Avalanches can break in the storm snow or they can step down into deeper weak snow layers on west through north, to southeast-facing slopes. You can trigger an avalanche from a long distance away or below a slope if you find a thin spot in the snowpack near exposed rocks or margins of the slab. Avalanches triggered from a wind-drifted area can grow much wider and run much farther than you anticipate – resulting in a deadly avalanche. If you see shooting cracks or hear audible collapses, move to slopes around 30 degrees without steeper terrain overhead for safer travel options.