Northern San Juan

Dangerous avalanche conditions remain after recent snowfall and strong winds tipped the scale on a weak, fragile snowpack. Avalanches that break near the surface have great potential to step down into deeper weak snow layers on all aspects near and above the treeline. You can trigger an avalanche from a long distance away or below a slope if you find a spot where the snowpack is thin near exposed rocks, on the backside of steep rollovers, or below cliff bands. Avalanches triggered in a deeper, 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 less than about 30 degrees without steeper terrain overhead for safer travel options.