Southern San Juan

A buried weak layer sits below over a foot of snow from recent storms. You can find this layer primarily on slopes that tilt to the north. You could trigger an avalanche where winds stiffen the recent storm into firmer slabs above this weak layer. Cracking and collapsing are indicators that you have found an area with this setup. If you observe these signs, move to a lower-angle slope or choose terrain that tilts south or west.