Sangre de Cristo

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect from Friday evening through Sunday for the Sangre de Cristo Range. A winter storm will dramatically change conditions, making it easy for backcountry travelers to trigger dangerous avalanches this weekend.

Strong northerly and westerly winds on Sunday will stiffen the new snow, increasing the chance for avalanches. You can trigger avalanches where you find more than around 8 inches of drifted snow on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. The most dangerous slopes will be those where winds have drifted snow into deep, stiff slabs, and that drift sits on an old snow surface. Watch for cracking in the snow as an indication that a slab has developed. If you experience this sign of unstable snow, avoid steep slopes.