Southern San Juan

Cohesive slabs of snow stacked on top of weaker snow layers makes it easy to trigger a dangerous avalanche on, below, or adjacent to slopes steeper than about 30 degrees at upper elevations. Give a wide buffer below steeper slopes and large avalanche paths. Triggering an avalanche on a wind-loaded, easterly-facing slope could break around you and wider than you expect, and may provoke a failure three to four feet deep producing a more destructive slide. Adjust you’re travels to low-angled slopes if you observe cracking, hear audible collapses, or see recent avalanches on slopes similar to those you plan to ride. Smaller avalanches can turn into bigger problems if you get swept over a cliff or stuffed in a terrain trap.