Northern San Juan

You can trigger a large and dangerous avalanche. The most dangerous slopes are at upper elevations, where you find more cohesive and connected slabs. Avoid trigger points such as shallow buried rocks or small trees, convexities, and the edges of slopes where the slab is thinnest. If you find a shallow spot and trigger a slide, it could break wider and deeper than expected. Avalanches can also be triggered from a distance. For visual impact, here's a montage of the last week's large avalanches from around the state.

Warm temperatures increase the potential for wet avalanches at all elevations. If you begin sinking into rapidly warming snow, move to a shady slope. Watch for overhead hazards like areas of steep rocky terrain, as snow can often heat more quickly near rocky areas. Avoid this problem by starting and ending your day early.