Northern San Juan

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect for mountainous areas of Colorado. New snow and winds through the holiday weekend will increase the avalanche danger statewide. Very dangerous avalanche conditions will develop in some regions, with the most dangerous conditions developing Saturday afternoon and into Sunday. Avalanche conditions will be more dangerous than we’ve experienced in weeks. Adjust your weekend plans accordingly, and check the forecast frequently for changing conditions.

The most dangerous slopes harbor wind-drifted slabs around a foot thick. Stiff slabs resting above very weak, collapsible snow layers increases your chance to trigger a larger avalanche. An avalanche triggered from a broad, wind-loaded area could break around you, and may provoke a deeper failure in weaker snow near the ground. Avoid slopes steeper than about 30 degrees where you see cracking in the snow or hear audible collapses. These signs of unstable snow or fresh avalanches is an indicator to stick to low-angled slopes without steeper terrain overhead.