Northern San Juan

A fatal avalanche near Ophir late on Monday tragically illustrates the kind of large, dangerous avalanche you can trigger. The most suspect slopes are steeper than about 35 degrees. You can trigger an avalanche from below and from a distance.

Small avalanches are more dangerous when triggered above terrain traps like thick trees, gullies, or road cuts. Give steep slopes a wide buffer and avoid terrain traps. Don't get lulled into a false sense of security if you fail to observe cracking or collasping.