Northern San Juan

Northerly winds drifted recent snowfall into shallow slabs of snow at upper elevations. Steer around drifted areas below ridgelines and in gullies with a lens-shaped appearance where a smaller slide could push you somewhere you don’t want to go. If you see cracking below your feet, choose an alternative route.

Triggering an avalanche in weak snow below a thick slab becomes more difficult with each passing day, but if you do, the consequences remain serious. It is easier to impact weak snow layers and trigger a large avalanche where the snowpack is thin near exposed rocks, on the backside of steep rollovers, or below cliff bands. Safer riding options are found in wind-sheltered areas around 30 degrees in steepness.