Northern San Juan

Strong winds over the weekend built thick, cohesive slabs of snow over weak layers in the top meter of the snowpack. If you find a shallow spot on a slope steeper than around 35 degrees, you can trigger an avalanche. Trigger points include shallow buried rocks, convex rollovers, or near cliffs or trees. Avoid traveling where the snow surface looks smooth and pillow-like or where the surface is stiff and hollow sounding. Mild weather over the next few days will make these slabs more stubborn to trigger.

Watch for warming snow on sunny slopes in the afternoon. Avoid steep, sunny slopes if you observe rollerballs or pinwheels. Safer traveling options exist below treeline and on lower angled slopes protected from recent winds.