Southern San Juan

You can trigger an avalanche on slopes with around 8 inches or more of drifted snow. The deepest drifts are on northerly and easterly-facing slopes; avalanches on those slopes will be larger. You are more likely to trigger an avalanche near ridges, on steep rollovers, and in cross-loaded gullies around 35 degrees in steepness or more. Avoid traveling where the snow surface looks smooth and pillow-like, and adjust your travels if you see cracking in the snow.

Warm temperatures, lack of wind, and ample sunshine will help the snow surface warm on sunny and low elevations slopes. Avoid traveling on or below steep slopes with rollerballs, pinwheels and wet gloppy snow. The threat of wet avalanches will increase during the day.