Northern San Juan

Old, weak snow layers linger below cohesive slabs of snow on west through the north, to southeast-facing slopes. You are more likely to impact deeper weak snow layers and trigger a larger slide near the margins of the slab or around rocky outcrops where the snowpack is thin. Avalanches triggered from a wind-drifted area can grow much wider and run much farther than you anticipate. Deeper drifts, identified by a lens-shaped appearance or where the snow surface feels hard, are found below ridges, in cross-loaded gullies, and in dish-like terrain features. Shooting cracks or audible collapses are signs you should move to slopes around 30 degrees without steeper terrain overhead.