Northern San Juan

Until the snowpack experiences a solid refreeze, wet snow problems may linger on slopes facing east through south to west below treeline. Snowfall Friday could insulate the old, wet snow surface reducing the quality of freeze. Avoid steeper slopes where you sink past your shins into wet, cohesionless snow. Consider the terrain below you, where a small avalanche could have big consequences. To help reduce your wet snow avalanche hazard, start early and end early, or stick to upper-elevation slopes.

A large trigger like a falling cornice might provoke an avalanche that breaks in weak snow layers three to four feet deep on easterly-facing slopes. The exact timing when a cornice breaks is unpredictable. Avoid travel below large, sagging cornices if you see blowing snow along ridgelines, fresh cornice growth, or find newly formed lens-shaped pillows of snow below them.