Northern San Juan

Northerly and east-facing slopes near and above treeline with a dense slab of snow above weaker snow are the most dangerous, and where you could trigger an avalanche. Heavily wind-drifted slopes can produce a slightly larger avalanche that breaks wider than you expect or is triggered from a distance. Use caution traveling near lens-shaped pillows of snow below ridgelines, in gullies, or on the backside of steep rollovers. Adjust your travels to lower-angled terrain or southerly-facing slopes if you observe signs of unstable snow like surface cracking or hear audible collapses.

Despite snow depth below treeline being shallower and more variable so far this season, the snowpack may be deep enough after recent snowfall on steep, shady slopes to trigger a small avalanche.